(a) After hearing thereon, if the Council shall determine that there is need, in the interest of the public health, safety, and welfare for a district, it shall make and record such determination, and shall define the boundaries of such districts by metes and bounds.

(b) In making such determination and in defining such boundaries, the Council shall give due weight and consideration to the topography of the area considered and of the State, the composition of soils therein, the distribution of erosion, the prevailing land-use practices, the desirability and necessity of including within the boundaries the particular lands under consideration and the benefits such lands may receive from being included within such boundaries, the relation of the proposed area to existing watersheds and agricultural regions, and to other natural resources conservation districts already organized or proposed for organization under the provisions of this chapter, and such other physical, geographical, and economic factors as are relevant. The territory to be included within such boundaries need not be contiguous.

(c) If the Council shall determine after such hearing that there is no need for a natural resources conservation district to function in the territory considered at the hearing, it shall make and record such determination and shall deny the petition. After six months shall have expired from the date of the denial of any such petition, subsequent petitions covering the same or substantially the same territory may be filed and new hearings held and determinations made thereon. (Amended 1959, No. 329 (Adj. Sess.), § 11(c), eff. March 1, 1961; 1963, No. 79, § 1(b), eff. May 7, 1963; 1967, No. 303 (Adj. Sess.), § 15(b), eff. March 22, 1968.)