Final answer:
A group of residents forming a fire protection district is the scenario most likely to lead to the creation of a special district, as special districts focus on providing specific services or addressing unique issues in a community.
Step-by-step explanation:
The scenario that would most likely lead to the creation of a special district is c) A group of residents forming a fire protection district. Special districts are units of government designed to provide specific services that are not being adequately provided by existing governmental structures, often in response to particular needs of a community that are better managed through a dedicated entity. Police departments expanding, the construction of new courthouses, and increasing funding for public schools are typically the responsibilities of existing city, county, or state governments, respectively.
Special districts, such as school districts or fire protection districts, have the special function of addressing targeted issues and services. In the case of a fire protection district, this might be established when residents of an area feel that their fire protection needs would be better served by a specialized district that focuses solely on fire safety and emergency services, particularly if this level of service is not being met by the municipality or county.