(a) General. -- A county commission desiring to create an economic opportunity development district shall conduct a public hearing.

(b) Notice of hearing. -- Notice of the public hearing shall be published as a Class I-0 legal advertisement in compliance with article three, chapter fifty-nine of this code at least twenty days prior to the scheduled hearing. In addition to the time and place of the hearing, the notice must also state:

(1) The purpose of the hearing;

(2) The name of the proposed district;

(3) The general purpose of the proposed district;

(4) The geographic boundaries of the property proposed to be included in the district; and

(5) The proposed method of financing any costs involved, including the base and rate of special district excise tax that may be imposed upon sales of tangible personal property and taxable services from business locations situated within the proposed district.

(c) Opportunity to be heard. -- At the time and place set forth in the notice, the county commission shall afford the opportunity to be heard to any owner of real property situated in the proposed district and any residents of the county.

(d) Application to West Virginia Development Office. -- If the county commission, following the public hearing, determines it advisable and in the public interest to establish an economic opportunity development district, it shall apply to the West Virginia Development Office for approval of the economic opportunity development district project pursuant to the procedures provided in section seven of this article.