19-3613. Fire districts in Johnson county; creation; petition; notice and hearing; territory; protest, when; final resolution; publication. Subject to the provisions of K.S.A. 19-270, the board of county commissioners of Johnson county, hereinafter referred to as the county board, may create a fire district as provided herein. Upon the filing with the county board of a petition signed by not less than 200 qualified electors within the limits of the fire district sought to be created, the county board shall within 30 days after date of such filing set a time and place for a public hearing on the petition and give notice of such hearing by publication for three successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in that part of the county. Any such fire district may include land or territory within the boundaries of an incorporated city, but only with the approval of such city. Such approval shall be evidenced by resolution of the governing body of the city, a certified copy of which shall be filed with the county clerk and when once filed evidencing such approval, may not thereafter be withdrawn. The date of hearing on the petition shall be not more than 10 days after the date of the last publication. At the hearing, or within 30 days thereafter, the county board shall either approve or reject the petition as filed, or may modify the proposed district by excluding therefrom certain areas as proposed or by adding certain areas to it and approve the petition as modified in that way. If any areas be added to the proposed district, then before action of the county board shall become final the county board shall notify the owners of such added land by mailing a notice of the proposed addition to the owner as the names and addresses of such owners appear in the office of the county clerk.

If no protest in writing is received from such owners within a period of 10 days after giving of such notice, then the resolution creating such district shall become final. If any such protest is received, then the county board may at its discretion set a time and place of further hearing for those owners only whose land is sought to be added to the district as originally petitioned for and shall give notice thereof by mail as provided above. Within a period of 10 days following the conclusion of such hearing, the county board shall either approve the proposal as to the whole district, as modified, or reject the proposal for the additional area to be added and then either reapprove or reject the original petition as to all or part of the land described in it. The action of the county board shall be by resolution, which shall be published once in a newspaper of general circulation in that part of the county in which such district is located.

History: L. 1955, ch. 175, § 1; L. 1957, ch. 193, § 3; L. 1985, ch. 102, § 1; L. 1986, ch. 70, § 17; May 15.