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2021 SPECIAL SESSION I

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Senate Committee on Local Government

Chair: Lynwood W. Lewis, Jr.

Clerk: Sean Sukol
Staff: Jeff Sharp, David Barry
Date of Meeting: February 15, 2021
Time and Place: 9:00am, SR East at Museum. Register to speak at GA website:
http://virginia-senate.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=3

H.B. 1749

Patron: Bloxom

Charter; Town of Nassawadox. Updates the charter for the Town of Nassawadox to reflect the town's shift of municipal elections from May to November.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 3.1 of Chapters 398 and 520 of the Acts of Assembly of 2009, which provided a charter for the Town of Nassawadox, relating to town elections.

21100548D

H.B. 1764

Patron: Wright

Charter; Town of Crewe; town council; elections and powers. Makes various changes to the charter for the Town of Crewe in Nottoway County, including (i) staggering town council elections; (ii) changing from three to two the number of town council members required to call a special meeting; and (iii) transferring from the town council to the town manager the authority to appoint, suspend, or terminate the chief of police with majority approval by the town council. The bill also repeals provisions related to the establishment of a municipal court.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 3.1, as amended, 3.2, 3.7, as amended, and 5.1 of Chapter 669 of the Acts of Assembly of 1972, which provided a charter for the Town of Crewe in Nottoway County, and to repeal Chapter 6 (§§ 6.1 through 6.4) of Chapter 669 of the Acts of Assembly of 1972, relating to town council; elections and powers.

21101611D

H.B. 1778

Patron: Ward

Removal of clutter from property; civil penalty. Provides that a locality may by ordinance require the removal of clutter from property, or may, whenever the governing body deems it necessary, after reasonable notice, have such clutter removed by its own agents or employees, in which event the cost or expenses thereof shall be chargeable to and paid by the owners of such property and may be collected by the locality as taxes are collected. The bill defines "clutter" as including mechanical equipment, household furniture, containers, and similar items that may be detrimental to the well-being of a community when they are left in public view for an extended period or are allowed to accumulate. Violations of the bill are subject to the existing civil penalty applicable to violations of provisions relating to the removal of trash, garbage, refuse, litter, and similar substances from property.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 15.2-901 of the Code of Virginia, relating to removal of clutter from property.

21101674D

H.B. 1783

Patron: Campbell, R.R.

Charter; Town of Glasgow. Establishes a new charter for the Town of Glasgow in Rockbridge County and repeals the current charter, which was created in 1892. The proposed charter sets out the organization of the town's government and contains powers typically granted to towns.

A BILL to provide a new charter for the Town of Glasgow in Rockbridge County and to repeal Chapter 486, as amended, of the Acts of Assembly of 1892, which provided a charter for the Town of Glasgow.

21100718D

H.B. 1858

Patron: Fariss

Charter; Town of Appomattox. Shifts local elections for the Town of Appomattox from May to November and staggers the election of members of the town council. The bill makes organizational changes to provisions related to the election and appointment of town officers.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 1 and 4 of the charter of the Town of Appomattox, which was granted by order of the Circuit Court of the County of Appomattox on June 2, 1925, and as amended by Chapter 43 of the Acts of Assembly of 1980, relating to election and appointment of officers; time of election.

21101409D

H.B. 1898

Patron: Roem

Board of zoning appeals; appointments. Provides an exception to the general rule that an elected official cannot be appointed to a board of zoning appeals by allowing an elected official from a town to serve on the board of zoning appeals of the county in which the member also resides.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 15.2-2308 of the Code of Virginia, relating to board of zoning appeals; appointments.

21101006D

H.B. 1919

Patron: Kory

Local green banks. Authorizes a locality, by ordinance, to establish a green bank to promote the investment in clean energy technologies in its locality and provide financing for clean energy technologies, defined in the bill. The bill establishes certain powers and functions of a green bank, including developing rules and procedures, financing and providing loans for clean energy projects, and stimulating demand for renewable energy. The bill requires the green bank to be a public entity, quasi-public entity, or nonprofit entity and requires the locality to hold a hearing and publish notice in a newspaper of general circulation prior to establishing the green bank.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 15.2-958.3:1, relating to local green banks.

21102092D

H.B. 2042

Patron: Guy

Replacement and conservation of trees during development. Gives a locality the ability to exceed general requirements in its tree replacement and conservation ordinances in specific circumstances, including development that impacts stormwater permit requirements, recurrent flooding, formerly redlined areas, and comprehensive plan compliance. The provisions of the bill shall become effective July 1, 2022.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 15.2-961 and 15.2-961.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to replacement and conservation of trees during development.

21102573D

H.B. 2054

Patron: Samirah

Comprehensive plan; transit-oriented development. Adds reducing, modifying, or waiving local parking requirements or ratios to the strategies that may be included when certain larger localities consider incorporating strategies to promote transit-oriented development in reviews of their comprehensive plans. The bill removes from the existing strategy of increasing development density in certain areas to reduce density in others the phrase "to reduce density in others."

A BILL to amend and reenact § 15.2-2223.4 of the Code of Virginia, relating to comprehensive plan; transit-oriented development.

21101042D

H.B. 2091

Patron: Austin

Charter; City of Covington; consolidated school division; salaries. Amends the charter for the City of Covington to help facilitate the consolidation of the school divisions of the City of Covington and Alleghany County. The bill sets out the salary of a school board member of such consolidated school district and shall become effective on July 1, 2022, provided that the consolidation of the City of Covington and Alleghany County school divisions is approved by the Board of Education prior to that date.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 2.02, 5.021, and 6.02, § 12.01, as amended, and § 15.03 of Chapter 227, as amended, of the Acts of Assembly of 1954, which provided a charter for the City of Covington, and to amend and reenact § 22.1-32 of the Code of Virginia, relating to consolidated school board of Alleghany County and the City of Covington; school board salaries.

21101551D

H.B. 2095

Patron: O'Quinn

Charter; City of Bristol; powers and organization. Makes changes to various provisions of the charter for the City of Bristol, including: (i) removing the city's authority to adopt ordinances to provide for the prevention of immorality and for the suppression of gambling places and to authorize the appointment of law-enforcement officers in exchange with the City of Bristol, Tennessee; (ii) changing from city council to the city attorney the authority to appoint assistant city attorneys; (iii) removing the requirement that a citizen own real property to serve on the planning commission; (iv) aligning the requirements for appropriations outside of the appropriations ordinance with provisions of the Code of Virginia; (v) authorizing the city council to re-appropriate unexpended funds at the end of the fiscal year, regardless of whether obligated to an ongoing project; and (vi) authorizing the city attorney to make investigations into city affairs and removing such authority from other officers of boards and commissions. The bill contains technical amendments.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 2.06, 5.04, as amended, 6.03, 8.04, as amended, 10.06, as amended, 10.07, and 15.03, as amended, of Chapter 542 of the Acts of Assembly of 1990, which provided a charter for the City of Bristol, relating to powers and organization.

21101065D

H.B. 2180

Patron: Walker

Charter; City of Lynchburg. Provides that salaries of members of the Lynchburg City Council shall be determined in accordance with general law.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 7, as amended, of Chapter 343 of the Acts of Assembly of 1928, which provided a charter for the City of Lynchburg, relating to salaries.

21100744D

H.B. 2186

Patron: Hodges

Industrial Development and Revenue Bond Act; directors; Mathews County. Provides that the Mathews County board of supervisors may appoint one employee of the locality onto the board of directors for the Economic Development Authority of the County of Mathews. Under current law, no locality's economic development authority director may be an officer or employee of the relevant locality with certain exceptions for towns with a population of less than 3,500 and Buchanan and Frederick Counties.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 15.2-4904 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Industrial Development and Revenue Bond Act; directors; Mathews County.

21101934D

H.B. 2201

Patron: Jones

Solar and energy storage projects; siting agreements throughout the Commonwealth. Expands existing provisions related to siting agreements for solar projects located in an opportunity zone to include energy storage projects and makes the provisions statewide. The bill provides that its provisions shall not apply to any energy storage project that has received zoning and site plan approval, preliminary or otherwise, from the host locality before January 1, 2021. The bill also provides that its provisions shall not become effective with respect to energy storage projects unless the General Assembly approves legislation that authorizes localities to adopt an ordinance for taxation of energy storage projects such as solar projects with a local option for machinery and tools tax or solar revenue share. The bill further provides that a locality may grant a special exception for an energy storage project.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 15.2-2288.8 and 15.2-2316.6 through 15.2-2316.9 of the Code of Virginia, relating to solar projects and energy storage projects; siting agreements throughout the Commonwealth.

21102743D

H.B. 2217

Patron: Hodges

Liability of public access authorities. Grants public access authorities, including the land holdings and facilities of such authorities, certain liability protections that are currently given to localities in relation to parks, recreational facilities, and playgrounds.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 15.2-1809 of the Code of Virginia, relating to liability of public access authorities.

21102566D

H.B. 2257

Patron: Bloxom

Hampton Roads Sanitation District. Makes numerous changes to the enabling act for the Hampton Roads Sanitation District related to the addition of Northampton and Accomack Counties to the district, including realignment of the residency requirements for Commissioners. Other changes include (i) defining the term "associated water system" and inserting it as appropriate throughout the bill; (ii) amending certain eminent domain powers related to procurement of lands contiguous to the site of an existing sewage disposal system for construction and operation of an expanded sewage disposal system to meet new regulatory requirements, including nutrient removal technology; (iii) altering authority related to rates; and (iv) making various technical and clarifying updates.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 1, 2, 8, 10, 11, 12, 21, and 22, as amended, §§ 25, 26, 28, and 31, §§ 32 and 35, as amended, and § 38 of Chapter 66 of the Acts of Assembly of 1960, relating to Hampton Roads Sanitation District.

21101358D

H.B. 2287

Patron: Ware

Economic development authorities; size of board in Powhatan County; quorum. Reduces from seven to five the number of members that may be appointed to the economic development authority board by Powhatan County and reduces the quorum requirement to three members.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 15.2-4904 of the Code of Virginia, relating to economic development authorities; size of board in Powhatan County; quorum.

21102329D

H.B. 2323

Patron: Edmunds

Library aid; former regional library system. Provides that former regional library systems that receive state aid notwithstanding a loss of regional library status due to a city reversion, shall receive such aid regardless of when a former city reverted to town status.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 15.2-4116 of the Code of Virginia, relating to library aid; former regional library system.

21102605D

H.B. 2326

Patron: Williams Graves

Regulation of child-care services in localities. Expands to include all cities the authority related to the regulation of child-care services that is currently available to certain Northern Virginia localities. This will have the effect of granting all cities authority by ordinance to regulate child-care facilities that provide regular care to one or more children not related by blood or marriage.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 15.2-914, as it is currently effective and as it shall become effective, of the Code of Virginia, relating to regulation of child care services in localities.

21103144D