A. After the filing of the tourism improvement district plan pursuant to § 15.2-2413.2 and the submission of a petition pursuant to § 15.2-2413.3, a locality may adopt a resolution containing:
1. A copy of the tourism improvement district plan;
2. A statement that the tourism improvement district plan is on file in the clerk's office for public inspection;
3. The time and place the locality will meet and hold a public hearing to hear all persons interested in the subject of the tourism improvement district plan;
4. A statement that any business owner who is to be charged a fee under the tourism improvement district plan who objects to the plan must file an objection with the clerk within 30 days of the conclusion of the hearing on forms made available by the clerk; and
5. The place, if any, other than the clerk's office, where the tourism improvement district plan may be inspected in advance of the hearing if the locality determines that, in the public interest, any additional place of inspection is necessary or desirable.
B. Any objection shall be made orally or in writing by any interested person. Every written objection shall be filed with the clerk at or before the time fixed for the public hearing. The locality may waive any irregularity in the form or content of any written objection. A written objection may be withdrawn in writing at any time before the conclusion of the public hearing. Each written objection shall contain a description of the business in which the person filing the objection is interested, sufficient to identify the business, and, if a person filing is not shown on the official records of the locality as the owner of the business, the objection shall contain or be accompanied by written evidence that the person subscribing is the owner of the business or the authorized representative. A written objection that does not comply with this section shall not be counted in determining a majority objection. If written objections are received from the owners or authorized representatives of businesses in the proposed tourism improvement district that will pay 50 percent or more of the fees proposed to be charged and objections are not withdrawn so as to reduce the objections to less than 50 percent, no further proceedings to charge the proposed fee against such businesses, as contained in the tourism improvement district plan, shall be taken for a period of one year from the date of the finding by the locality of such majority objection.
C. The locality shall cause a copy of the resolution adopted under subsection A, or a summary thereof, to be published at least once in a newspaper in general circulation in the locality, the first publication to be not less than 10 days and not more than 30 days before the date set for the hearing. Not less than 10 days and not more than 30 days before the date set for the hearing, the locality shall mail a copy of the resolution or a summary thereof to each owner of a business that is proposed to be charged a fee within the proposed tourism improvement district at the address shown on the locality's most recent list of businesses. If the locality publishes or mails a summary of the resolution, such summary shall include the address of the clerk, a statement that copies of the resolution shall be made available free of charge to the public, the activities proposed, the total estimated annual amount proposed to be expended for activities, and a statement indicating the rights of owners to object pursuant to subsection B.
D. If a tourism improvement district includes multiple localities or portions thereof, the notice and hearing process set forth in this section shall be conducted by the lead locality. A lead locality may not form a tourism improvement district within the territorial jurisdiction of another locality without that locality granting by majority vote of the governing body consent to the lead locality.
2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 500.