19-5001. Written notice of proposed annexation; manner; contents; liability; limitation on action.

(1) A city of the first class, city of the second class, or village shall provide written notice of a proposed annexation to the owners of property within the area proposed for annexation in the manner set out in this section.

(2) Initial notice of the proposed annexation shall be sent to the owners of property within the area proposed for annexation by regular United States mail, postage prepaid, to the address of each owner of such property as it appears in the records of the office of the register of deeds or as the address is determined from another official source, postmarked at least ten working days prior to the planning commission's public hearing on the proposed change with a certified letter to the clerk of any sanitary and improvement district if the annexation includes property located within the boundaries of such district. Such notice shall describe the area proposed for annexation, including a map showing the boundaries of the area proposed for annexation, and shall contain the date, time, and location of the planning commission's hearing and how further information regarding the annexation can be obtained, including the telephone number of the pertinent city or village official and an electronic mail or Internet address if available.

(3) A second notice of the proposed annexation shall be sent to the same owners of property who were provided with notice under subsection (2) of this section. Such notice shall be sent by regular United States mail, postage prepaid, to the owner's address as it appears in the records of the office of the register of deeds or as the address is determined from another official source, postmarked at least ten working days prior to the public hearing of the city council or village board of trustees on the annexation. Such notice shall describe the area proposed for annexation, including a map showing the boundaries of the area proposed for annexation, and shall contain the date, time, and location of the hearing and how further information regarding the annexation can be obtained, including the telephone number of the pertinent city or village official and an electronic mail or Internet address if available.

(4) No additional or further notice beyond that required by subsections (2) and (3) of this section shall be necessary if the scheduled public hearing by the planning commission or city council or village board of trustees on the proposed annexation is adjourned, continued, or postponed until a later date.

(5) Except for a willful or deliberate failure to cause notice to be given, no annexation decision made by a city of the first class, city of the second class, or village to accept or reject a proposed annexation, either in whole or in part, shall be void, invalidated, or affected in any way because of any irregularity, defect, error, or failure on the part of the city or village or its employees to cause notice to be given as required by this section if a reasonable attempt to comply with this section was made. No action to challenge the validity of the acceptance or rejection of a proposed annexation on the basis of this section shall be filed more than one year following the date after the formal acceptance or rejection of the annexation by the city council or village board of trustees.

(6) Except for a willful or deliberate failure to cause notice to be given, the city of the first class, city of the second class, or village and its employees shall not be liable for any damage to any person resulting from failure to cause notice to be given as required by this section if a reasonable attempt was made to provide such notice. No action for damages resulting from the failure to cause notice to be provided as required by this section shall be filed more than one year following the date of the formal acceptance or rejection of the proposed annexation, either in whole or in part, by the city council or village board of trustees.

(7) For purposes of this section, owner means the owner of a piece of property as indicated on the records of the office of the register of deeds as provided to or made available to the city of the first class, city of the second class, or village no earlier than the last business day before the twenty-fifth day preceding the public hearing by the planning commission on the annexation proposed for the subject property.

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