67.793.  Petition to create a regional recreational district — filed where — content — hearing. — 1.  Whenever the creation of a regional recreational district is desired, one hundred or more persons residing in the proposed district may file with the county clerk in which the greater part of the proposed district's population resides a petition requesting the creation of the regional recreational district.  In case the proposed district is situated in two or more counties, the petition shall be filed in the office of the county clerk of the county in which the greater part of the proposed district's population resides, and the governing body of that county shall set the petition for public hearing and conduct such hearing.  The petition shall set forth:

  (1)  A description of the territory to be embraced in the proposed district;

  (2)  The names of the municipalities located within the proposed district;

  (3)  The name of the proposed district;

  (4)  The population of the proposed district;

  (5)  The assessed valuation of the proposed district;

  (6)  The type and rate of tax proposed to be levied; and

  (7)  A request that the question be submitted to the voters residing within the limits of the proposed regional recreational district whether they will establish a regional recreational district pursuant to the provisions of sections 67.792 to 67.799 to be known as "______ Regional Recreational District" for the purpose of establishing, operating and maintaining public parks, neighborhood trails and recreational facilities within the boundaries of the district.

  2.  Whenever one hundred or more persons residing in an area contiguous to an existing regional recreational district desire to become part of that contiguous district, such persons may file a petition with the county clerk of the county in which the greater part of the population within the proposed addition to the district resides, and the governing body of that county shall set the petition for public hearing and conduct such hearing.  The petition for the addition to a district shall set forth the same facts required for the creation of such a district pursuant to subdivisions (1) to (7) of subsection 1 of this section, except that:

  (1)  Subdivision (6) of subsection 1 of this section shall only permit the imposition of a tax on the real property located within the addition to the district; and

  (2)  Subdivision (7) of subsection 1 of this section shall, in the petition for the addition, be a request that the question be submitted to the voters residing within the limits of the proposed addition to the "______ regional recreational district" as to whether or not they will become a part of the "______ regional recreational district" for the purpose of establishing, operating and maintaining public parks, neighborhood trails and recreational facilities within the boundaries of such district.

  3.  The petition shall, after having been filed pursuant to this section, receive a hearing by the governing body of the county of filing pursuant to section 67.794.

  4.  The governing body of any county otherwise eligible to participate in a regional recreational district may directly authorize, by ordinance, the creation of a regional recreational district or an addition to an existing regional recreational district without the submission of a petition.  The governing body of each such county shall, upon the enactment of such ordinance, submit the question of its approval to the voters in such county.  If less than an entire county is proposed to participate in such a regional recreational district, the question may be submitted to the registered and qualified voters residing in the proposed district, or if no registered and qualified voters reside in the proposed district, to the owners of the real property located within the proposed district.  Any ordinance adopted by the governing body creating a regional recreational district supported by a sales tax but with no registered and qualified voters residing within the proposed district boundaries shall be unanimously approved by the owners of real property within the proposed district.  The proposed district shall consist only of those counties, or portions of counties, where the governing body has approved an ordinance to create a district.