Section 36-36-57. Adoption of annexation resolution by municipal corporation; contents of resolutions; approval, availability, and distribution of report relating to extension of services; conduct of public hearing

   (a) Any municipal governing body desiring to annex territory pursuant to this article shall first pass a resolution stating the intent of the municipal corporation to consider annexation. The resolution shall describe the boundaries of the area under consideration and fix a date for a public hearing on the question of annexation. The date for the public hearing shall be not less than 30 days and not more than 60 days following passage of the resolution. The notice of the public hearing shall (1) fix the date, hour, and place of a public hearing, (2) describe clearly the boundaries of the area under consideration, and (3) state that the report required in Code Section 36-36-56 will be available at the office of the municipal clerk at least 14 days prior to the date of the public hearing. The notice shall be given by publication in a newspaper having general circulation in the municipality once a week for three successive weeks prior to the date of the hearing. The date of the last publication shall be not more than seven days preceding the date of public hearing. If there is no such newspaper, the municipal corporation shall post the notice in at least three public places within the municipality and in at least three public places in the area to be annexed for 30 days prior to the date of the public hearing.

(b) At least 14 days before the date of the public hearing, the governing body shall approve the report provided for in Code Section 36-36-56 and shall make it available to the public at the office of the municipal clerk. In addition, the municipal corporation may prepare a summary of the full report for public distribution.

(c) At the public hearing, a representative of the municipal corporation shall first make an explanation of the report required in Code Section 36-36-56. Following such explanation, all persons resident or owning property in the territory described in the notice of public hearing and all residents of the municipality shall be given an opportunity to be heard.

Ga. L. 1970, p. 426, § 5; Code 1981, § 36-36-47; Code 1981, § 36-36-57, as redesignated by Ga. L. 1992, p. 2592, § 3.