1. Whenever the creation of a district is desired, ten percent of the registered voters within the proposed district may file a petition requesting the creation of a district. The petition shall be filed in the circuit court of the county in which the proposed district is located.

2. The proposed district area shall be contiguous and may contain any portion of one or more municipalities.

3. The petition shall set forth:

(1) The name and address of each owner of real property located within the proposed district or who is a registered voter resident within the proposed district;

(2) A specific description of the proposed district boundaries including a map illustrating such boundaries;

(3) A general description of the purpose or purposes for which the district is being formed; and

(4) The name of the proposed district.

4. The circuit clerk of the county in which the petition is filed pursuant to this section shall present the petition to the judge, who shall thereupon set the petition for hearing not less than thirty days nor more than forty days after the filing. The judge shall cause notice of the time and place of the hearing to be given, by publication on three separate days in one or more newspapers having a general circulation within the county, with the third and final publication to occur not less than twenty days prior to the date set for the hearing. The notice shall recite the information required pursuant to subsection 3 of this section. The costs of printing and publication of the notice shall be paid as required pursuant to section 67.1870.