Virginia Code 15.2-1129.2: Creation of local economic revitalization zones.
A. Any city or town may establish by ordinance one or more economic revitalization zones for the purpose of providing incentives to private entities to purchase real property and interests in real property to assemble parcels suitable for economic development. Each city or town establishing an economic revitalization zone may grant incentives and provide regulatory flexibility. Such zones shall be reasonably compact, shall not encompass the entire city or town, and shall constitute one or more tax parcels not commonly owned. Properties that are acquired through the use of eminent domain shall not be eligible for the incentives and regulatory flexibility provided by the ordinance.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 15.2-1129.2
- City: means an independent incorporated community which became a city as provided by law before noon on July 1, 1971, or which has within defined boundaries a population of 5,000 or more and which has become a city as provided by law. See Virginia Code 1-208
- Governing body: means the board of supervisors of a county, council of a city, or council of a town, as the context may require. See Virginia Code 15.2-102
- local government: shall be construed to mean a county, city, or town as the context may require. See Virginia Code 15.2-102
- Locality: means a county, city, or town as the context may require. See Virginia Code 1-221
- Process: includes subpoenas, the summons and complaint in a civil action, and process in statutory actions. See Virginia Code 1-237
- Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
- State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-245
- Town: means any existing town or an incorporated community within one or more counties which became a town before noon, July one, nineteen hundred seventy-one, as provided by law or which has within defined boundaries a population of 1,000 or more and which has become a town as provided by law. See Virginia Code 15.2-102
- User fees: Fees charged to users of goods or services provided by the government. In levying or authorizing these fees, the legislature determines whether the revenue should go into the treasury or should be available to the agency providing the goods or services.
B. The incentives may include, but not be limited to: (i) reduction of permit fees, (ii) reduction of user fees, (iii) reduction of any type of gross receipts tax, and (iv) waiver of tax liens to facilitate the sale of property.
C. Incentives established pursuant to this section may extend for a period of up to 10 years from the date of initial establishment of the economic revitalization zone; however, the extent and duration of any incentive shall conform to the requirements of applicable federal and state law.
D. The regulatory flexibility provided in an economic revitalization zone may include (i) special zoning for the district, (ii) the use of a special permit process, (iii) exemption from certain specified ordinances, excluding ordinances or provisions of ordinances adopted pursuant to the requirements of the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act (§ 62.1-44.15:67 et seq.), the Erosion and Sediment Control Law (§ 62.1-44.15:51 et seq.), and the Virginia Stormwater Management Act (§ 62.1-44.15:24 et seq.), and (iv) any other incentives adopted by ordinance, which shall be binding upon the locality for a period of up to 10 years.
E. The governing body may establish a service district for the provision of additional public services pursuant to Chapter 24 of Title 15.2.
F. This section shall not authorize any local government powers that are not expressly granted herein.
G. Prior to adopting or amending any ordinance pursuant to this section, a locality shall provide for notice and public hearing in accordance with subsection A of § 15.2-2204.