(a) In addition to the authority conferred in Section 5539.5, the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972 (Part 2 (commencing with Section 22500) of Division 15 of the Streets and Highways Code), except Sections 22605, 22609, and 22610 of, and Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 22620) of Part 2 of Division 15 of, the Streets and Highways Code, is, to the extent not inconsistent with or superseded by this section, applicable to a regional district created and established in Los Angeles County, except as follows:

(1) Article 2 (commencing with Section 22605) of Chapter 2 of Part 2 of Division 15 of the Streets and Highways Code shall not apply.

(2) No changes shall be made pursuant to Chapter 3 of Part 2 of Division 15 of the Streets and Highways Code or Section 5572 of this code with respect to the rate and method of apportionment of assessments, the use of proceeds of assessments, the use of proceeds of bonds, and the territory included within the district, except that the governing body may correct errors in assessments, rule on appeals of assessments against particular parcels, and annually adjust the assessments levied against particular parcels of real property to reflect changes in the uses of those parcels.

(3) No changes shall be made to the rate and method of apportionment of any assessment approved by the voters and levied pursuant to this section.

(4) Article 4 (commencing with Section 22565) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 15 of the Streets and Highways Code shall apply to a regional district created pursuant to Section 5506.9, and, in addition to the items listed in that article, the annual report shall include all of the following:

(A) Changes in the total number of parcels assessed and changes in the number of parcels with respect to use code.

(B) Amount of funds to be generated by the regional district in the next fiscal year.

(C) The proposed allocation of funds for maintenance and servicing for the next fiscal year.

(D) The disposition of funds generated by the regional district in the current fiscal year. Whenever the public interest or convenience requires, the regional district may, at the discretion of its governing body, use any or all provisions of that act to carry out any purpose of the regional district.

(b) For the purposes of the regional district, any notice required to be published pursuant to the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972 (Part 2 (commencing with Section 22500) of Division 15 of the Streets and Highways Code) or pursuant to Section 5511 shall be published pursuant to § 6064 of the Government Code.

(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the governing body of the regional district shall not levy any assessment pursuant to the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972 unless a proposition authorizing the regional district to levy the assessments is first approved by a majority of the voters voting on the proposition. The Board of Supervisors of Los Angeles County may consolidate a proposition submitted to the voters pursuant to this subdivision into a single ballot measure with the proposal to determine whether to create and establish a regional district pursuant to paragraph (6) of subdivision (c) of Section 5506.9. Notwithstanding Section 5518, the County Counsel of the County of Los Angeles shall prepare the language in the ballot label. The proposition shall specify the matters set forth in the resolution adopted pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 5506.9, except paragraph (6) thereof. Notwithstanding any other provision in the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972, any assessments proposed pursuant to that act shall be deemed levied upon approval of a majority of the voters voting on the proposition.

(d) (1) Notwithstanding any other provisions in the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972, all proceeds of assessments levied or bonds issued by the regional district shall be allocated in accordance with paragraphs (5) and (8) of subdivision (c) of Section 5506.9.

(2) No levy of any additional assessments pursuant to this section, including any levy of any assessment beyond the maximum time periods for which assessments are authorized pursuant to Section 5506.9, may be authorized unless a proposition, including the provisions specified in paragraphs (5), (8), and (9) of subdivision (c) of Section 5506.9, is approved by a majority of the voters in the regional district voting on the proposition. Any future expenditure plan shall include a division of funds between capital outlay and maintenance and servicing, and a list of capital outlay projects and acquisition areas. No future expenditure plan shall contain any provision that could impair the payment of debt service on bonds or other evidence of indebtedness previously issued pursuant to this section. Notwithstanding any provision of the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972, any assessment levied pursuant to this section may include an annual amount to pay the costs of maintenance and servicing of the capital outlay projects funded pursuant to Section 5506.9, and may be collected in annual installments.

(e) Prior to the election required by subdivision (c), the Board of Supervisors of Los Angeles County may undertake proceedings on behalf of the proposed regional district in accordance with Part 2 (commencing with Section 22500) of Division 15 of the Streets and Highways Code to create an assessment district with the same boundaries as the proposed regional district. Hearings required pursuant to Part 2 (commencing with Section 22500) of Division 15 of the Streets and Highways Code may be consolidated with those required pursuant to this division. Those proceedings shall be deemed to be the proceedings required by Part 2 (commencing with Section 22500) of Division 15 of the Streets and Highways Code.

(f) The governing body may exempt from the assessment any uninhabited parcel substantially used in agriculture and any parcel enforceably restricted as open-space land during the time in which the parcel is so used or restricted, if the governing body determines that these parcels will not benefit from the expenditure of the proceeds of assessments.

(g) The formation of a regional district with boundaries coterminous with those of Los Angeles County is not subject to Section 5517.1 or to the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 (Division 3 (commencing with Section 56000) of Title 5 of the Government Code).

(h) Notwithstanding any other provision in the acts specified in Section 5539.5 and in subdivision (a), the net amount to be assessed upon lands within an assessment district may be apportioned by any formula or method that fairly distributes the net amount among all assessable lots or parcels in proportion to the estimated benefits to be received by each lot or parcel from the improvements.

(i) Analysis and review of the measure submitted to the voters pursuant to subdivision (c) shall be carried out pursuant to § 9160 of the Elections Code.

(j) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the land acquisition, improvements, and services provided by the regional district, if created and established, will specially benefit the properties assessed and the persons paying the assessments authorized in this section in at least the following respects:

(1) Enhanced recreational opportunities and expanded access to recreational facilities for all residents throughout the district.

(2) Improved quality of life for all communities in the district by protecting, restoring, and improving the district’s irreplaceable beach, wildlife, park, and open-space land.

(3) Preservation of mountains, foothills, and canyons, and development of public access to these lands throughout the district.

(4) Protection of historical and cultural assets of the region.

(5) Increased economic activity and expanded employment opportunities within the regional district.

(6) Increased property values, resulting from the effects specified in this subdivision.

(7) Provision of benefits to all properties within the county, including positive impacts on air and water quality, capacity of roads, transportation and other public infrastructure systems, schools, and public utilities.

(k) The Legislature also finds and declares the following:

(1) The expansion, restoration, and improvement of park, recreation, beach, and open-space lands throughout Los Angeles County benefits all residents in the county.

(2) Protection, restoration, and improvement of these lands are vital to the quality of life for all residents in Los Angeles County.

(3) Increased park and recreation opportunities in the densely populated and heavily urbanized areas of Los Angeles County are vital to the health and well-being of all residents in the county, and providing these opportunities is a high priority.

(4) The protection and enhancement of the recreational opportunities provided by Los Angeles County’s beaches, shoreline, and mountains must be included within the expenditure plan specified in subdivision (c) of Section 5506.9 in order to provide benefits to each resident of the county. The Legislature also finds and declares that, consistent with Division 23 (commencing with Section 33000), the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy is a unique and valuable environmental, educational, and recreational resource; that as the last large undeveloped area within the greater Los Angeles metropolitan region it provides essential relief from the urban environment; and that the preservation and protection of this resource is in the public interest; and the Legislature further finds and declares that the acquisition of open-space lands by the conservancy provides a necessary benefit to each and every resident of Los Angeles County.

(5) The population of Los Angeles County continues to grow at an increasing rate, and already is far behind other urban areas in the state in providing adequate park, recreation, and open-space facilities for its residents. Creation of a regional park and open-space district with boundaries coterminous with those of Los Angeles County is critical to help address the growing and unmet park and recreation needs in Los Angeles County. It is therefore vital that Los Angeles County act immediately to address these issues.

(Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 296, Sec. 34. Effective January 1, 2004.)