City attorney says tax-rate hearing removed after notice error; council to republish and reschedule for April 21

Pam Oberry of the city attorney's office told Charlottesville City Council that staff discovered a failure to timely post the public notice for the real property tax-rate hearing and recommended removing the item from tonight's agenda. "There was indeed a failure to timely post notice of public hearing in a prominent public location," Oberry said, citing Virginia Code Section 58.1-3321(C).

Oberry explained the code requires publication in a newspaper of general circulation and posting in two prominent public locations at least seven days before a hearing on rate increases. Staff said a corrective course — approved by the city manager and recommended to council — is to remove the hearing, republish the notice in the Daily Progress so it will meet the seven-day requirement, and hold the rescheduled public hearing at the council's next regular meeting on April 21, 2025.

Council members asked follow-up questions about the scope of the notice error and how the city would prevent similar mistakes. City staff indicated the failure was an oversight and emphasized they would continue the budget process while resetting the tax-rate hearing. The council did not proceed with the advertised tax-rate hearing tonight; staff committed to republishing and to returning the item on April 21.

The next procedural step is the republished notice and the rescheduled public hearing on April 21, 2025.