(a) The commission shall not review an annexation or a reorganization proposal that includes an annexation to any city in Santa Clara County of unincorporated territory that is within the urban service area of the city if the annexation or reorganization proposal is initiated by resolution of the legislative body of the city.
(b) The city council shall be the conducting authority for the annexation or reorganization proposal and the proceedings for the annexation or reorganization proposal shall be initiated and conducted as nearly as may be practicable in accordance with Part 4 (commencing with Section 57000).
(c) The city council, in adopting the resolution approving the annexation or reorganization proposal, shall make all of the following findings:
(1) That the unincorporated territory is within the urban service area of the city as adopted by the commission.
(2) That the county surveyor has determined the boundaries of the proposal to be definite and certain, and in compliance with the road annexation policies of the commission. The city shall reimburse the county for the actual costs incurred by the county surveyor in making this determination.
(3) That the proposal does not split lines of assessment or ownership.
(4) That the proposal does not create islands or areas in which it would be difficult to provide municipal services.
(5) That the proposal is consistent with the adopted general plan of the city.
(6) That the territory is contiguous to existing city limits.
(7) That the city has complied with all conditions imposed by the commission for inclusion of the territory in the urban service area of the city.
(d) All annexations or reorganizations which involve territory for which the land use designation in the general plan of the city has changed from the time that the urban service area of the city was last adopted by the commission, and which are processed by a city pursuant to this section shall be subject to an appeal to the commission upon submission of a petition of appeal, signed by at least 50 registered voters in the county.
(e) An appeal to the commission may also be made by submission of a resolution of appeal adopted by the legislative body of a special district solely for the purpose of determining whether some or all of the territory contained in the annexation or reorganization proposal should also be annexed or detached from that special district.
(f) Any petition submitted under subdivision (d) or resolution submitted under subdivision (e) shall be submitted to the executive officer within 15 days of the adoption by the city council of the resolution approving the annexation. The executive officer shall schedule the hearing for the next regular meeting of the commission as is practicable. The commission may set a reasonable appeal fee.
(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 87, Sec. 4. (AB 1427) Effective January 1, 2014.)