2-3252.

Districts; improvement project areas; powers; project funding.

(1) Projects or portions of projects which the board determines to be of general benefit to the district shall be carried out with any available funds of the district, including proceeds from the district's tax levy pursuant to section 2-3225. Projects or portions of projects which the board determines to be of special benefit to a certain area within the district may be established and maintained pursuant to subsection (2) of this section.

(2) Each district may establish improvement project areas within the district for the purpose of carrying out projects authorized by law which result in special benefits to lands and property within such improvement project areas. Improvement project areas may include land within an adjoining district with the written consent of the board of directors of the adjoining district. When only a portion of a project results in special benefits to an area, an improvement project area may be established to finance and maintain such portion of the project, and the district shall finance and maintain the other portions of the project pursuant to subsection (1) of this section. Such improvement project areas may be established, existing improvement project area boundaries may be altered, and the projects may be authorized after a hearing by the board, upon its own motion or by petitions, in the manner provided for by sections 2-3253 to 2-3255. The cost of any construction, capital improvements, or operation and maintenance involved in such special benefit portions of a project shall be recovered by the board by special assessment as provided in sections 2-3252 to 2-3254, 2-3254.04, and 2-3254.06. Any other costs related to such special benefit portion of a project may also be recovered by similar assessments. The board shall determine the amount of such special assessments and the period of time over which such special assessments shall be paid. When such projects result in the provision of continuing services such as the supply of revenue-producing water for any beneficial use, the persons receiving such special services shall be assessed for the cost of the service received in the manner provided in subsection (2) of section 2-3254. The reimbursable cost of the special benefit portions of such projects authorized in accordance with this section and as determined by the board of directors shall be assessed against the land within the improvement project area on the basis of benefits received in the manner provided in subsection (3) of section 2-3254 and section 2-3254.03. When a special-purpose district is merged with a natural resources district as provided by sections 2-3207 to 2-3212, the board may, without complying with the procedures outlined in sections 2-3252 to 2-3254.07, establish an improvement project area to carry out the functions of such special-purpose district and may adopt as its own any fee or assessment schedule or schedules previously adopted pursuant to law by such special-purpose district and in force and effect at the time of such merger. Any fees or assessments which are due or which become due under such adopted schedule or schedules shall be collected by the district in the manner provided by sections 2-3254 and 2-3254.03.

(3) Projects of a predominantly general benefit to a district with only an incidental special benefit, as determined by the board, may be developed and executed using any available funds of the district, including those from the tax levied pursuant to section 2-3225, without the establishment of an improvement project area or the levying of assessments or other charges.