Sec. 8. (a) The department shall give notice of its determination under section 7 of this chapter and the right to seek an appeal of the determination by mail to:

(1) the petitioner;

(2) the owner, if different from the petitioner;

(3) all persons that have, as of the date the petition was filed under section 2 of this chapter, a substantial property interest of public record in the brownfield;

(4) the assessor of the township in which the brownfield is located, or the county assessor if there is no township assessor for the township;

(5) the board;

(6) the fiscal body; and

(7) the county auditor.

(b) A person aggrieved by a determination of the department under section 7 of this chapter may obtain an additional review by the department and a public hearing by filing a petition for review with the county auditor of the county in which the brownfield is located not more than thirty (30) days after the department gives notice of the determination under subsection (a). The county auditor shall transmit the petition to the department not more than ten (10) days after the petition is filed.

(c) On receipt by the department of a petition for review, the department shall set a date, time, and place for a hearing. At least ten (10) days before the date fixed for the hearing, the department shall give notice by mail of the date, time, and place fixed for the hearing to:

(1) the person that filed the appeal;

(2) the petitioner;

(3) the owner, if different from the petitioner;

(4) all persons that have, as of the date the petition is filed, a substantial interest of public record in the brownfield;

(5) the assessor of the township in which the brownfield is located, or the county assessor if there is no township assessor for the township;

(6) the board;

(7) the fiscal body; and

(8) the county auditor.

(d) After the hearing, the department shall give the parties listed in subsection (c) notice by mail of the final determination of the department. The department's final determination under this subsection is subject to the limitations in subsections (f)(2) and (g).

(e) The petitioner under section 2 of this chapter shall provide to the county auditor reasonable proof of ownership of the brownfield:

(1) if a petition is not filed under subsection (b), at least thirty (30) days but not more than one hundred twenty (120) days after notice is given under subsection (a); or

(2) after notice is given under subsection (d) but not more than ninety (90) days after notice is given under subsection (d).

(f) The county auditor:

(1) shall, subject to subsection (g), reduce or remove the delinquent tax liability on the tax duplicate in the amount stated in:

(A) if a petition is not filed under subsection (b), the determination of the department under section 7 of this chapter; or

(B) the final determination of the department under this section;

not more than thirty (30) days after receipt of the proof of ownership required in subsection (e); and

(2) may not reduce or remove any delinquent tax liability on the tax duplicate if the petitioner under section 2 of this chapter fails to provide proof of ownership as required in subsection (e).

(g) A reduction or removal of delinquent tax liability under subsection (f) applies until the county auditor makes a determination under this subsection. After the date referred to in section 2(6) of this chapter, the county auditor shall determine if the petitioner successfully completed the plan described in section 2(5) of this chapter by that date. If the county auditor determines that the petitioner completed the plan by that date, the reduction or removal of delinquent tax liability under subsection (f) becomes permanent. If the county auditor determines that the petitioner did not complete the plan by that date, the county auditor shall restore to the tax duplicate the delinquent taxes reduced or removed under subsection (f), along with interest in the amount that would have applied if the delinquent taxes had not been reduced or removed.

As added by P.L.208-2005, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.146-2008, SEC.307.