Virginia Code 10.1-1000: Definitions
As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:
Terms Used In Virginia Code 10.1-1000
- Board: means the Cave Board. See Virginia Code 10.1-1000
- cave: includes or is synonymous with cavern, sinkhole, natural pit, grotto, and rock shelter. See Virginia Code 10.1-1000
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Includes: means includes, but not limited to. See Virginia Code 1-218
- Owner: means a person who owns title to land where a cave is located, including a person who owns title to a leasehold estate in such land, and including the Commonwealth and any of its agencies, departments, boards, bureaus, commissions, or authorities, as well as counties, municipalities, and other political subdivisions of the Commonwealth. See Virginia Code 10.1-1000
- Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
- Person: means any individual, partnership, firm, association, trust, or corporation or other legal entity. See Virginia Code 10.1-1000
- Recess: A temporary interruption of the legislative business.
- Sinkhole: means a closed topographic depression or basin, generally draining underground, including, but not restricted to, a doline, uvala, blind valley, or sink. See Virginia Code 10.1-1000
“Board” means the Cave Board.
“Cave” means any naturally occurring void, cavity, recess, or system of interconnecting passages beneath the surface of the earth or within a cliff or ledge including natural subsurface water and drainage systems, but not including any mine, tunnel, aqueduct, or other man-made excavation, which is large enough to permit a person to enter. The word “cave” includes or is synonymous with cavern, sinkhole, natural pit, grotto, and rock shelter.
“Cave life” means any rare or endangered animal or other life form which normally occurs in, uses, visits, or inhabits any cave or subterranean water system.
“Commercial cave” means any cave utilized by the owner for the purposes of exhibition to the general public as a profit or nonprofit enterprise, wherein a fee is collected for entry.
“Gate” means any structure or device located to limit or prohibit access or entry to any cave.
“Material” means all or any part of any archaeological, paleontological, biological, or historical item including, but not limited to, any petroglyph, pictograph, basketry, human remains, tool, beads, pottery, projectile point, remains of historical mining activity or any other occupation found in any cave.
“Owner” means a person who owns title to land where a cave is located, including a person who owns title to a leasehold estate in such land, and including the Commonwealth and any of its agencies, departments, boards, bureaus, commissions, or authorities, as well as counties, municipalities, and other political subdivisions of the Commonwealth.
“Person” means any individual, partnership, firm, association, trust, or corporation or other legal entity.
“Sinkhole” means a closed topographic depression or basin, generally draining underground, including, but not restricted to, a doline, uvala, blind valley, or sink.
“Speleogen” means an erosional feature of the cave boundary and includes or is synonymous with anastomoses, scallops, rills, flutes, spongework, and pendants.
“Speleothem” means a natural mineral formation or deposit occurring in a cave. This includes or is synonymous with stalagmite, stalactite, helectite, shield, anthodite, gypsum flower and needle, angel’s hair, soda straw, drapery, bacon, cave pearl, popcorn (coral), rimstone dam, column, palette, flowstone, et cetera. Speleothems are commonly composed of calcite, epsomite, gypsum, aragonite, celestite, and other similar minerals.
1979, c. 252, § 10-150.12; 1988, c. 891.