(1) When a county clerk to whom a petition is submitted under ORS § 267.253 certifies that the petition contains the number of valid signatures required under ORS § 267.253, the district board shall schedule a public hearing on the petition. A district board may hold a single public hearing with respect to two or more petitions.

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(2) The district board shall schedule the public hearing for a date which is not earlier than the 20th day after the date on which the study of the affected area required under ORS § 267.257 is completed, but which is not later than the 90th day after the board receives certification from the county clerk under subsection (1) of this section.

(3) The district board shall have notice of the hearing printed once in a newspaper in general circulation within the district. The notice shall be published at least five days prior to the hearing. Notice of the published hearing shall also be posted in at least four different locations within the affected area that are customarily used for the purpose of posting public notice. The notice shall be posted not less than 15 days prior to the date specified in the notice for the hearing and shall be posted for not less than five consecutive days. The notice required under this section shall contain the time and place of the hearing, the purpose of the hearing, a description of the affected area, the extent to which taxes imposed by the district will be increased in the remaining portions of the district as a result of the withdrawal of the affected area, the date on which the district board intends to finally dispose of the petition under ORS § 267.257 (2), a statement that the study of the affected area required under ORS § 267.257 is on file at the district offices and available for copying and public inspection and a statement that the public may appear and be heard on the issue of withdrawal of the affected area from the district. The date of final disposition of the petition that appears in the notice may be subsequently changed to a later date by the district board without publishing another notice as required by this section.

(4) The hearing required under this section may be conducted by a hearings officer appointed by the district board. [1987 c.799 § 4]