                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

HEARING BEFORE COMMISSION ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT REQUIRED; NOTICE (§ 15.2-3232)

A. Once the town and county governing bodies have decided upon the terms of an
agreement pursuant to &#xA7; 15.2-3231, the proposed agreement shall be
presented to the Commission on Local Government. The Commission shall conduct a
public hearing at some location in the town or the county and interested parties
may appear and offer evidence or comments. The hearing shall be duly advertised
in some newspaper having general circulation in the county and the town once a
week for two successive weeks, stating the time and place of the hearing, and
summarizing the terms of the proposed agreement. The second advertisement shall
appear not less than six days nor more than 21 days prior to the hearing. The
Commission shall then determine whether the proposed agreement provides for the
orderly and regular growth of the town and county together, for an equitable
sharing of the resources and liabilities of the town and the county, and whether
the agreement is in the best interest of the community at large, and shall so
advise the governing bodies in a written opinion.

B. In addition to the advertising required in subsection A, written notice of
the Commission on Local Government&#8217;s hearing shall be given by the town at
least 10 days before the hearing to the owner, owners, or their agent of each
parcel of land included in the area proposed for annexation under the terms of
the agreement. One notice sent by first-class mail to the last known address of
such owner, owners, or their agent as shown on the current county real estate
tax assessment books or current county real estate tax assessment records shall
be deemed adequate compliance with this requirement, provided that the clerk of
the town shall make an affidavit that such mailings have been made and file such
affidavit with the Commission. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as
to invalidate any subsequently adopted agreement because of the inadvertent
failure by the town to give written notice to the owner, owners, their agent or
the occupant of any parcel in the area proposed for annexation.

HISTORY: 1979, c. 85, § 15.1-1058.2; 1997, c. 587; 2003, c. 173.