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HomeGovernment CodeDiv. 1Ch. 3Art. 2§ 23320 County Formation Petition Requirements

§ 23320 County Formation Petition Requirements

Government Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 23320 County Formation Petition Requirements

Key Takeaways

  • •To create a new county, people must sign a petition with specific details.
  • •The petition must describe the new county's borders and name.
  • •The petition must show how many people live in the new county and the old county after the split.
  • •The new county's borders can't split up a city unless that city has more people than the new county.

Example

A group of people in a big county want to form their own smaller county.

They need to write a petition with details like the new county's name, borders, and how many people will live there. They also need to show that the new borders won't split any small cities. If they do this right, the process to create the new county can start.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 23320 County Formation Petition Requirements

Proceedings for the creation of a proposed county shall be initiated by petition. Any such petition shall contain the following: (a) An accurate description of the boundaries of the proposed county. (b) A statement that such boundaries do not pass through or divide the territory of any incorporated city other than a city with a population greater than that of the proposed new county. (c) A statement of the population of the proposed county, as near as may be determined. (d) A statement of the population which will remain in the affected county or counties if the territory of the proposed county is detached therefrom, as near as may be determined. (e) A statement of the area in square miles which will remain in the affected county or counties if the territory of the proposed county is detached therefrom. (f) The name of the proposed county. (g) The name of the affected county or counties. (h) A request that proceedings for creation of the proposed county be initiated. (Amended by Stats. 1977, Ch. 1175.)

Last verified: January 22, 2026

Key Terms

petitionpopulationstatementcreationdescription

Related Statutes

  • § 23330.5 County Boundary Petition Limits
  • § 23321 County Formation Petition Requirements
  • § 23324 County Formation Petition Notice
  • § 23234 County Boundary Change Petition
  • § 50590 Open Space District Formation

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Government Code. Section 23320.
View Official Source