SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2009 SESSION

  • print version
Senate Committee on Local Government
Subcommittee Charters

Locke (Chairman), Ticer, Reynolds, Ruff, Stuart

Clerk: Carol Lynne Shotton
Staff: Jeffrey Sharp, Rebecca Young
Date of Meeting: January 20, 2009
Time and Place: 10:00 a.m., Third Floor East Conf. Room, General Assembly Bldg.
Please note time has been changed from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

S.B. 857

Patron: Edwards

Charter; Town of Blacksburg.  Amends the charter of the Town of Blacksburg to change the date of the town council member and mayoral election from the first Tuesday in May to the general election date in November. Further amends the date the council members take office from July to January and states that the vice-mayor shall be selected at the first council meeting, which will take place in January following the November election, rather than in July. If enacted, the charter changes clarify that the council may determine the annual salary of its members in accordance with state law and that vacancies on town council are also to be filled in an election subject to the requirement of state law. Lastly, the charter changes would permit the expanded use of civil penalties, in lieu of criminal penalties, for ordinance violations. 

S.B. 869

Patron: Stuart

Charter; City of Fredericksburg.  Amends the charter so that vacancies in City Council are filled within 45 days, rather than 30 days, by a majority vote of the remaining City Council members. Stipulates that when more than two years remain in the unexpired term and the vacancy occurs at least 120 days prior to the next council member election, the City Council shall petition the circuit court to issue a writ of election to fill the vacancy, which shall occur at the next regularly scheduled May council member election. Until the vacancy is filled by special election, the City Council may appoint a qualified voter of the election district in which the vacancy occurred to fill the vacancy.  Further provides that all ordinances and all resolutions appropriating funds in excess of $100,000, rather than $1,000, shall be adopted by the Fredericksburg City Council on two readings.

S.B. 883

Patron: Stuart

Charter; Town of Warsaw.  Amends the charter for the Town of Warsaw to allow the eight town council members to have staggered terms. 

S.B. 929

Patron: Ticer

Charter; City of Alexandria.  Amends the charter to allow the city council, by ordinance, to establish term limits for members of advisory boards and commissioners whom the council has appointed. Further amends the charter by requiring any applicant in a land use proceeding to fully disclose all parties who have an ownership or financial interest in the land or application that is the subject of the hearing. Requires that all parties, members of city council, members of the planning commission, members of the board of zoning appeals, and members of the board of architectural review in any proceeding regarding land use or land development to make a full public disclosure of any business or financial relationship that such individual has, or has had within the 12-month period prior to such hearing, with each member of the board in front of which they appear. Any person knowingly and willfully violating the provisions of the bill shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

S.B. 942

Patron: Watkins

Charter; County of Chesterfield. Adds provisions to the charter of Chesterfield County requiring the salary of the clerk of the circuit court to be paid out of the general fund of the county. Likewise, the expenses of the office of the clerk of the circuit court, including the compensation of the deputies and employees of the office, shall be paid out of the general fund of the county. All clerk's fees and commissions received by the clerk of the circuit court for the performance of the clerk's official duties pursuant to statute and local ordinance shall be paid into the general fund of Chesterfield County.

S.B. 1071

Patron: Martin

Charter; City of Colonial Heights. Amends the charter for the City of Colonial Heights to eliminate the requirement that certain changes in city streets and other public ways, grounds, and places, as well as the city's acquisition or sale of improved or unimproved land, must be referred to the planning commission for its recommendation prior to city council action. Further provides that if city council does refer any such matter to the planning commission for the commission's recommendation, the council subsequently shall act on the commission's recommendation by a majority vote of its members, or an affirmative vote of three-fourths of all members if required by the Constitution of this Commonwealth. Additionally, the legislation deletes provisions of the charter giving the planning commission final approval rights and allows a city council member to appeal the planning commission's decision of approval or disapproval of subdivision plats within 20 days of the commission's decision. The charter is further amended to state that final plats shall not be received or recorded by the clerk of court unless the plat has been approved as provided by applicable state and local law.