Section 53398.66 - Public hearing; notice(a)(1) The public financing authority shall consider adoption of the enhanced infrastructure financing plan at three public hearings that shall take place at least 30 days apart. In addition to the notice given to landowners and affected taxing entities pursuant to Sections 53398.60 and 53398.61, the public financing authority shall give notice of each public hearing in accordance with subdivision (i).(2) At the first public hearing, the public financing authority shall hear all written and oral comments, but take no action.(3) At the second public hearing, the public financing authority shall consider any additional written and oral comments and take action to modify or reject the enhanced infrastructure financing plan. If the enhanced infrastructure financing plan is not rejected at the second public hearing, then the public financing authority shall conduct a protest proceeding at the third public hearing to consider whether the landowners and residents within the enhanced infrastructure financing plan area wish to present oral or written protests against the adoption of the enhanced infrastructure financing plan.(b) The draft-enhanced infrastructure financing plan shall be made available to the public and to each landowner within the area on a designated internet website and at a meeting held at least 30 days before the first public hearing. The purposes of the meeting shall be to allow the staff of the public financing authority to present the draft-enhanced infrastructure financing plan, answer questions about the enhanced infrastructure financing plan, and consider comments about the enhanced infrastructure financing plan.(c)(1) The public financing authority shall give notice of the meeting required by subdivision (b) and the public hearings required by subdivision (a) in accordance with subdivision (i). The notice shall do all of the following, as applicable:(A) Describe specifically the boundaries of the proposed area.(B) Describe the purpose of the enhanced infrastructure financing plan.(C) State the day, hour, and place when and where any and all persons having any comments on the proposed enhanced infrastructure financing plan may appear to provide written or oral comments to the enhanced infrastructure financing district.(D) Notice of the second public hearing shall include a summary of the changes made to the enhanced infrastructure financing plan as a result of the oral and written testimony received at or before the public hearing and shall identify a location accessible to the public where the enhanced infrastructure financing plan proposed to be presented at the second public hearing can be reviewed.(E) Notice of the third public hearing to consider any written or oral protests shall contain a copy of the enhanced infrastructure financing plan, and shall inform the landowner and resident of their right to submit an oral or written protest before the close of the public hearing. The protest may state that the landowner or resident objects to the public financing authority taking action to implement the enhanced infrastructure financing plan.(2) At the third public hearing, the public financing authority shall consider all written and oral protests received before the close of the public hearing along with the recommendations, if any, of affected taxing entities, and shall terminate the proceedings or adopt the enhanced infrastructure financing plan subject to confirmation by the voters at an election called for that purpose. The public financing authority shall terminate the proceedings if there is a majority protest. A majority protest exists if protests have been filed representing over 50 percent of the combined number of landowners and residents in the area who are at least 18 years of age. An election shall be called if between 25 percent and 50 percent of the combined number of landowners and residents in the area who are at least 18 years of age file a protest.(d) An election required pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) shall be held within 90 days of the public hearing and may be held by mail-in ballot. The public financing authority shall adopt, at a duly noticed public hearing, procedures for this election.(e) If a majority of the landowners and residents vote against the enhanced infrastructure financing plan, then the public financing authority shall not take any further action to implement the proposed enhanced infrastructure financing plan. The public financing authority shall not propose a new or revised enhanced infrastructure financing plan to the affected landowners and residents for at least one year following the date of an election in which the enhanced infrastructure financing plan was rejected.(f) At the hour set in the notices required by subdivision (a), the public financing authority shall consider all written and oral comments.(g) If less than 25 percent of the combined number of landowners and residents in the area who are at least 18 years of age file a protest, the public financing authority may adopt the enhanced infrastructure financing plan at the conclusion of the third public hearing by resolution. The resolution adopting the enhanced infrastructure financing plan shall be subject to referendum as prescribed by law.(h) The public financing authority shall consider and adopt an amendment or amendments to an enhanced infrastructure financing plan in accordance with the provisions of this section.(i) The public financing authority shall post notice of each meeting or public hearing required by this section in an easily identifiable and accessible location on the enhanced infrastructure financing district's internet website and shall mail a written notice of the meeting or public hearing to each landowner, each resident, and each taxing entity at least 10 days before the meeting or public hearing. A public finance authority may meet the mailed notice requirements of this subdivision for the meeting held pursuant to subdivision (b) and the first public hearing on the proposed enhanced infrastructure financing plan if it has mailed a notice in compliance with subdivision (b) of Section 53398.64. (1) Notice of the first public hearing shall also be published not less than once a week for four successive weeks before the first public hearing in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county in which the area lies. The notice shall state that the district will be used to finance public facilities or development, briefly describe the public facilities or development, briefly describe the proposed financial arrangements, including the proposed commitment of incremental tax revenue, describe the boundaries of the proposed district, and state the day, hour, and place when and where any persons having any objections to the proposed infrastructure financing plan, or the regularity of any of the prior proceedings, may appear before the public financing authority and object to the adoption of the proposed plan by the public financing authority.(2) Notice of the second public hearing shall also be published not less than 10 days before the second public hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the area lies. The notice shall state that the district will be used to finance public facilities or development, briefly describe the public facilities or development, briefly describe the proposed financial arrangements, describe the boundaries of the proposed district, and state the day, hour, and place when and where any persons having any objections to the proposed infrastructure financing plan, or the regularity of any of the prior proceedings, may appear before the public financing authority and object to the adoption of the proposed plan by the public financing authority.(3) Notice of the third public hearing shall also be published not less than 10 days prior to the third public hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the area lies. The notice shall state that the district will be used to finance public facilities or development, briefly describe the public facilities or development, briefly describe the proposed financial arrangements, describe the boundaries of the proposed district, and state the day, hour, and place when and where any persons having any objections to the proposed infrastructure financing plan, or the regularity of any of the prior proceedings, may appear before the public financing authority and object to the adoption of the proposed plan by the public financing authority.(j)(1) The public financing authority shall review the enhanced infrastructure financing plan at least annually and make any amendments that are necessary and appropriate and shall require the preparation of an annual independent financial audit paid for from revenues of the enhanced infrastructure financing district. (A) Amendments to an approved infrastructure financing plan, including proposals to finance affordable housing and additional eligible projects, as specified in Section 53398.52, may be approved by a majority vote of the governing board at a public hearing held following the provision of a 30-day mailed notice describing the proposed changes to all property owners, residents, and affected taxing entities.(B) Amendments that propose any of the following shall be adopted in accordance with all notices and hearing requirements for the affected landowners and residents within the proposed additional territory applicable to an initial proposed enhanced infrastructure financing plan: (i) Addition of new territory to a district.(ii) Increase of the limit of the total number of dollars in local taxes allocated to the plan.(iii) Approval of a public facility or development that was not proposed to be financed or assisted by the district in the approved plan.(2) A public financing authority shall adopt an annual report on or before June 30 of each year after holding a public hearing. Written copies of the draft report shall be made available to the public 30 days before the public hearing. The public financing authority shall cause the draft report to be posted in an easily identifiable and accessible location on the enhanced infrastructure financing district's internet website and shall mail a written notice of the availability of the draft report on the internet website to each owner of land and each resident within the area covered by the enhanced infrastructure financing plan and to each taxing entity that has adopted a resolution pursuant to Section 53398.68. The notice shall be mailed by first-class mail, but may be addressed to "occupant."(3) The annual report shall contain all of the following:(A) A description of the projects undertaken in the fiscal year, including any rehabilitation of structures, and a comparison of the progress expected to be made on those projects compared to the actual progress.(B) A chart comparing the actual revenues and expenses, including administrative costs, of the public financing authority to the budgeted revenues and expenses.(C) The amount of tax increment revenues received.(D) An assessment of the status regarding completion of the enhanced infrastructure financing district's projects.(E) The amount of revenues expended to assist private businesses.(4) If the public financing authority fails to provide the annual report required by paragraph (3), the public financing authority shall not spend any funds received pursuant to a resolution adopted pursuant to this chapter until the public financing authority has provided the report.Amended by Stats 2021 ch 391 (SB 780),s 5, eff. 1/1/2022.Amended by Stats 2019 ch 656 (AB 116),s 3, eff. 1/1/2020.Amended by Stats 2015 ch 320 (AB 313),s 9, eff. 1/1/2016.Added by Stats 2014 ch 785 (SB 628),s 1, eff. 1/1/2015.