(1) As soon as the plans for the development of storage water and flood protection have been determined and before the actual work thereon is begun or bonds voted, the board of directors shall proceed to make special assessments for benefits by classifying the lands in the district in tracts of forty acres, more or less, according to the legal or recognized subdivisions, on a graduated scale to be numbered according to the benefits to be received by the contemplated supply of storage water or flood protection. The tracts of land which will receive more than about equal benefits shall be marked one hundred, and such as are adjudged to receive less benefits shall be marked with a lesser number denoting their percentage of benefit. This classification when established shall remain as a basis for the levy of such assessments as may be needed for the lawful and proper purposes of the internal improvement district, but, in any district where a classification has once been made and the board of directors believes from experience and results that such former classification was or is not fairly adjusted on the several tracts of land according to benefits, which classification may be adjusted by new or additional assessments, the board of directors shall disregard such former classification and make a new classification in accordance with justice and right. When the classification is completed, it shall be properly tabulated or shown by a map, or both, and filed in the office of the district for inspection.
The board of directors shall cause to be personally served upon all parties owningland to be affected by the proposed supply of storage or reservoir waters or flood protection or other property liable to be assessed under this article and residing in the district a written or printed notice of the time and place where they will meet to hear and consider any objections that may be made to the classification of lands on the graduated scale, which notice shall be served in case of residence in the district at least ten days before the time set for the hearing by delivering a copy thereof to the party to be served. As to all persons not served personally, they shall be given notice by publishing the same in one public newspaper in each county into which such internal improvement district may extend, which notice shall be published in such newspaper once in each week until four successive weekly publications have been made, the last publication to be on a day previous to the day appointed for said hearing, and proof of the proper publication of said notice in the newspaper shall consist of the sworn certificate of the publisher of such newspaper, showing the publication to have been made in accordance with the provisions of this section.
Such hearing may be adjourned from day to day by public announcement of theboard of directors made at the hearing until all objections are heard. All persons duly notified of the first day of the meeting as provided in this section shall take cognizance of all adjournments without further notice. The affidavit of any creditable person that he has posted or served such notice as required by this section and the affidavit of publication of the publisher of such newspapers as to the publication of said notice shall be sufficient evidence of such facts.
Source: L. 23: p. 501, § 12. CSA: C. 138, § 28. CRS 53: § 149-5-12. C.R.S. 1963: § 150-4-12.