PUBLIC HEARINGS

(a) Before instituting proceedings for annexing an area for limited purposes, the governing body of the municipality must hold two public hearings on the proposed annexation. Each member of the public who wishes to present testimony or evidence regarding the proposed limited-purpose annexation must be given the opportunity to do so. At the hearing, the municipality shall hear and consider the appropriateness of the application of rural and urban ordinances in the area to be annexed for limited purposes. (b) The hearings must be held on or after the 40th day but before the 20th day before the date the annexation proceedings are instituted. A notice of the hearings must be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality and in the area proposed for annexation. The notice must be in the format prescribed by Section 43.123(b). Before the date of each hearing, the notice must be published at least once on or after the 20th day before the hearing date and must contain: (1) a statement of the purpose of the hearing; (2) a statement of the date, time, and place of the hearing; and (3) a general description of the location of the area proposed to be annexed for limited purposes.