A. Once the town and county governing bodies have decided upon the terms of an agreement pursuant to § 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'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.

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