Sec. 9. (a) A petition against the establishment of the fire protection district may be presented to the county legislative body at or after a hearing on the petition to establish a district and before the adoption of an ordinance or resolution establishing the district.
(b) If the legislative body finds that it contains the signatures of fifty-one percent (51%) of the freeholders within the proposed district or of the freeholders who own two-thirds (2/3) of the real property within the proposed district, determined by assessed valuation, the legislative body shall dismiss the petition for the establishment of the district.