15.2-3521 - Proposed consolidated city; notice of motion; service and publication.

§ 15.2-3521. Proposed consolidated city; notice of motion; service andpublication.

At least thirty days before instituting a proceeding under the provisions ofthis article for the creation of a consolidated city, the counties and citiesproposing to consolidate shall serve notice on the attorney for theCommonwealth or the attorney for the city or county, and on the chairman ofthe governing body or mayor of each county and city having a common boundarythat they will, on a given day, petition the circuit court for adetermination of whether the proposed consolidated city is eligible for citystatus. The notice served on each official shall include a certified copy ofthe consolidation agreement. A copy of the notice and the consolidationagreement, or a descriptive summary of the notice and agreement and areference to the place within the city or town where copies of the notice andagreement may be examined, shall be published at least once a week for foursuccessive weeks in some newspaper or newspapers having general circulationin the localities which are parties to the agreement. The notice andconsolidation agreement shall be returned after service to the clerk of thecircuit court. Certification of the owner, editor or manager of the newspaperpublishing the notice and agreement shall be proof of publication.

(1979, c. 85, § 15.1-1130.2; 1986, c. 312; 1997, c. 587.)