Government Code section 56000

The Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 (Act)
establishes procedures for local government changes of organization, including city
incorporations, annexations to a city or special district, and city and special district
consolidations.

Local agency formation commissions (LAFCOs) have numerous powers under the Act,
but those of primary concern are the power to act on local agency boundary changes and
to adopt spheres of influence for local agencies. Among the purposes of LAFCOs are the
discouragement of urban sprawl and the encouragement of the orderly formation and
development of local agencies.