If a petition is filed, signed by the owners of a majority of the front footage of real estate within a proposed water main district, gas main district, sanitary sewer district, storm water disposal district, or other public utility district, which petition shall contain the consent of the owners of such real estate for the installation of gas mains or water mains of sizes designated by the city council, village board of trustees, or board of directors of a metropolitan utilities district and inserted in such petition, or of other utility service, then such water main district, gas main district, sanitary sewer district, storm water disposal district, or other public utility district shall be created, and the entire cost of laying such water main, gas main, or other utility service shall be assessed and collected as provided in sections 18-405 to 18-410. The city council, village board of trustees, or board of directors shall have the discretion to deny the formation of the proposed district when the area to be improved has not previously been improved with a water system, sewer system, and grading of streets. If the city council, village board of trustees, or board of directors should deny a requested district formation, it shall state the grounds for such denial in a written letter to interested parties.