As soon as practicable after the effective date of this part, the board shall cause a preliminary report to be made as to a rapid transit service and system which shall include:
(a) The estimated cost of the proposed acquisition, and construction and all incidental expenses connected therewith.
(b) The probable sources of income from the system and the estimated amount thereof.
(c) The estimated cost of maintenance and operation thereof.
(d) The proposed method or methods of financing.
(e) Any other information deemed pertinent, including, without limitation, a preliminary sketch or sketches, plan or plans or design of stations, platforms, terminals, structures and facilities constituting a method of rapid transit (all of the foregoing being hereafter referred to in this section by the word “facilities”), the proposed locations thereof and the proposed routes of the system.
The district shall, in connection with the studies necessary to determine the possible routes and locations for the said facilities, confer with the appropriate local governing bodies and other agencies that may be affected thereby and with their technical and planning personnel, obtaining where available any master or general plan in the affected areas.
The district shall give written notice of the preliminary report to each affected city or county that it may, within a period prescribed by the district (which period shall not be less than sixty (60) days), submit comments or evidence as to the effect that the design, location and routes of said facilities would have in their areas, including, without limitation, the effect upon property values, state and local facilities, and city street and county highway traffic.
When sufficient information has been accumulated to permit intelligent discussion, the district shall publicize and hold such public meeting or meetings as may be reasonably necessary to acquaint interested individuals, officials and civic or other groups with the studies made and the information developed and to obtain their views with respect to the preliminary report.
Using the information developed the district shall then prepare a final report containing the foregoing subdivisions (a) to (e) and such other matters deemed pertinent, including, without limitation, the information obtained at conferences and meetings, the relationship between all proposed routes and locations of such facilities and any master or general plans of the affected local agency or agencies and any information submitted by affected cities or counties pursuant to this section. The final report shall conclude with a recommendation as to the routes, location and design of such facilities.
The district shall serve written notice of the final report to each affected city or county that it may, within a period to be prescribed by the district (which period shall be not less than sixty (60) days), request a public hearing. Such notification shall include a statement that the district will hold a public hearing, if requested to do so by the governing body, within thirty (30) days following receipt of such written notification by the governing body; provided, however, that if, prior to receipt of such notification from the district, the governing body or bodies shall have, by resolution, declared that no public hearing by the district is necessary, then the notification by the district shall advise such governing body only of the intention of the district to consider the matter.
If any such governing body requests such hearing, the district shall hold a hearing, after public notice given in such manner as the district may determine, at which time and place all persons, and official bodies and other organizations interested in the matter, shall be afforded an opportunity to be heard. The district may also, on its own motion, call a public meeting or hold such hearings as it may deem appropriate. If no hearing is requested, the district may determine the routes, locations and design for the said facilities within the limits of the cities or counties to which the notice required by this section was given after the expiration of such period of thirty (30) days. If a hearing is requested, the district must determine the routes, location and design for said facilities within the limits of the cities or counties to which the notice required by this section was given within ninety (90) days after the first day on which such hearing is held.
This section is not intended to require in any report or reports made under the section prior to a bond election for the acquisition and construction of a line or lines or system (or such part thereof as the board determines to call a bond election on, and whether such report or reports be designated preliminary or final) detailed plans and specifications such as would be necessary for the acquisition and construction of the facilities or any part thereof, nor is it the intent of this section to prevent the district from taking advantage in the final plans and specifications of any technological advances, if the same occur, or from making changes due to additional information based on the results of surveys, experiments or tests.
Failure to comply in whole or part, or any defect in compliance with this section prior to a bond election, shall not affect the validity of the bond election or of the bonds, but as to any line to be acquired or constructed from the proceeds of the bonds this section must be substantially complied with prior to the expenditure of the proceeds of the bonds on such line, and no substantial change in any route theretofore determined following the procedure required by this section may be made without holding further hearings pursuant to notice given in such manner as the district may determine if the proposed change in the route is objected to by any city or county affected thereby.
(Amended by Stats. 1967, Ch. 875.)