210 ARTICLE 2A

function in the territory described in the petition. Such petition shall set
forth:

(1) The proposed name of said district;

(2) That there is need, in the interest of the public health, safety, and
welfare, for a soil conservation district to function in the territory de-
scribed in the petition;

(3) A description of the territory proposed to be organized as a district,
which description shall not be required to be given by metes and bounds or
by legal sub-divisions, but shall be deemed sufficient if generally accurate;

(4) A request that the State soil conservation committee duly define
the boundaries for such districts; that a referendum be held within the
territory so defined on the question of the creation of a soil conservation
district in such territory; and that the committee determine that such a
district be created.

Where more than one petition is filed covering parts of the same terri-
tory, the State soil conservation committee may consolidate all or any
such petitions.

B. Within thirty (30) days after such a petition has been filed with
the State soil conservation committee, it shall cause due notice to be given
of a proposed hearing upon the question of the desirability and necessity,
in the interest of the public health, safety, and welfare, of the creation
of such district, upon the question of the appropriate boundaries to be
assigned to such district, upon the propriety of the petition and other
proceedings taken under this sub-title, and upon all questions relevant to
such inquiries. All occupiers of land within the limits of the territory
described in the petition, and of lands within any territory considered for
addition to such described territory, and all other interested parties, shall
have the right to attend such hearings and to be heard. If it shall appear
upon the hearing that it may be desirable to include within the proposed
district territory outside of the area within which due notice of the hear-
ing has been given, the hearing shall be adjourned and due notice of further
hearing shall be given throughout the entire area considered for inclusion
in the district, and such further hearing held. After such hearing, if the
committee shall determine, upon the facts presented at such hearing and
upon such other relevant facts and information as may be available, that
there is need, in the interest of the public health, safety, and welfare, for
a soil conservation district to function in the territory considered at the
hearing, it shall make and record such determination, and shall define,
by metes and bounds or by legal sub-divisions, the boundaries of such
district. In making such determination and in defining such boundaries,
the committee shall give due weight and consideration to the topography
of the area considered and of the State, the composition of soils therein,
the distribution of erosion, the prevailing land-use practices, the desirabil-
ity and necessity of including within the boundaries the particular lands
under consideration and the benefit such lands may receive from being
included within such boundaries, the relation of the proposed area to
existing watersheds and agricultural regions, and to other soil conserva-
tion districts already organized or proposed for organization under the
provisions of this sub-title, and such other physical, geographical, and eco-
nomic factors as are relevant, having due regard to the legislative deter-
minations set forth in section 46 of this Article. The territory to be in-
cluded within such boundaries need not be contiguous. If the committee
shall determine after such hearing, after due consideration of the said