Assessment of cost of works against benefited land; hearing on proposed assessment

(1) All or part of the cost of building, constructing, purchasing, operating, maintaining and improving the district works described in an engineering plan adopted under ORS 552.408 or 552.413 may be assessed against the lands to be benefited by the works. The district board shall determine the portion of the cost, if any, that is to be paid from the general funds of the district and the portion that is to be paid by the lands benefited. (2) Assessments shall be apportioned by the district board in accordance with the special and peculiar benefit to be received from the district works by each lot or parcel of land. Where parcels of land, or portions thereof, in the district are undeveloped, the district board may, in its discretion, defer assessing or imposing all or any portion of such assessments on such parcels until such parcels are connected with or receiving services from the district works. (3) The district board shall afford an opportunity for hearing of any individual objections or remonstrances to assessments under this section. If remonstrances or objections are received by the district board signed by more than 50 percent of the landowners representing more than 50 percent of the acreage within the proposed assessment district, the proposed improvement shall not be made.