Section 120. Public meetings and hearings

A. General requirements. The district office will present information on real estate acquisition and displacement impacts and relocation services and benefits, at public meetings and hearings. An opportunity will be provided for public comments and questions. Copies of the right of way brochure will be available at all public meetings and hearings and distributed to interested individuals and organizations upon request.

B. Corridor (location) public hearing. The district office will present a summary of relocation program services, benefits and important qualification criteria, and a summary of the following relocation information compiled for the Relocation Assistance Report:

1. The estimated number of displacements of each classification that would be caused by each of the alignments under consideration;

2. The availability of relocation assistance and services, eligibility requirements and payment procedures.

3. A summary of the process and the methods that will be employed to assure that the housing needs of the displacees will be met.

C. Highway design or combined location and design public hearings. A presentation including the following information will be made at all design or combined location and design public hearings for projects on which the displacement will occur:

1. That no person shall be displaced from a residence unless a comparable replacement dwelling is available.

2. The services available under VDOT's relocation assistance advisory program, the address and telephone number of the local relocation office and the name of the relocation agent in charge.

3. The estimated number of individuals, families, businesses, farms and nonprofit organizations to be displaced.

4. The estimated number of dwelling units presently available that meet replacement housing requirements.

5. An estimate of the time necessary for relocation and the number of dwelling units meeting the replacement housing requirements that will become available during that period.

6. VDOT's replacement housing program need not be recited in detail because the brochure adequately covers these topics and a reference to secure answers to specific questions has been provided. It is important to selectively present items of special importance, such as the need to be in occupancy at initiation of negotiations to be eligible for benefits.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 18, Issue 03, eff. November 21, 2001.

Statutory Authority

§ 25.1-402 of the Code of Virginia; 42 USC § 4601 et seq.