Whenever such a petition for annexation is filed with the legislative body of a code city, which petition meets the requirements herein specified and is sufficient according to the rules set forth in RCW 35A.01.040, the legislative body may entertain the same, fix a date for a public hearing thereon and cause notice of the hearing to be published in one or more issues of a newspaper of general circulation in the city. The notice shall also be posted in three public places within the territory proposed for annexation, and shall specify the time and place of hearing and invite interested persons to appear and voice approval or disapproval of the annexation.