(1) Prior to the levying of an assessment authorized in RCW 15.09.131, the horticultural pest and disease board shall hold a public hearing at which it will gather information to serve as a basis for classification and then classify the lands into suitable classification, including but not limited to orchard lands, range lands, dry lands, nonuse lands, forestlands, or federal lands.

(2) The board shall develop and forward to the county board of commissioners or other county legislative authority, as a proposed level of assessment for each class, an amount that seems just. The assessment rate shall be either uniform per acre in its respective class, a flat rate per parcel, or a flat rate per parcel rate plus a uniform rate per acre: PROVIDED, That if no benefits are found to accrue to a class of land, a zero assessment may be levied.

(3) The county board of commissioners or other county legislative authority, upon receipt of the proposed levels of assessment from the horticultural pest and disease board, after a hearing, shall accept or modify by resolution, or refer back to the horticultural pest and disease board for its reconsideration, all or any portion of the proposed levels of assessment.

(4) The amount of the assessment constitutes a lien against the property. The assessments shall be subject to the same provisions as those for property tax collections, as provided in RCW 84.56.020, and shall be collected by the county treasurer under the authority in RCW 84.56.035.