SB 99 — Grottoes, Town of; new charter, previous charter repealed.

SESSION ENROLLED VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY ––-- 2022 SESSION CHAPTER E618 An Act to provide a new charter for the Town of Grottoes in Rockingham County and to repeal Chapter Grottoes.eof the Acts of Assembly of 1997, as amended, which provided a charter for the Town of RGrottoes. O [S 99] L Approved L Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

E[S 1.99] Approved April 11, 2022 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

D1. FOR THE TOWN OF GROTTOES.

CHARTER FOR THE TOWN OF GROTTOES.

Incorporation and Boundaries.

TheIncorporation inhabitants of the territory comprised within the present limits of the Town of Grottoes, as such limits may be altered and establishedBoundaries. by law, shall constitute and continue to be a body politiB and corporate to be known and designated as the Town of Grottoes, and as such, shall have perpetual9 corporate seal that it may alter, renew, or amend at its pleasure by ordinance.cted with, and hEve a § 1.2.

The inhabitants of the territory comprised within the present limits of the Town of Grottoes, as such limits may be altered and established by law, shall constitute and continue to be a body politic and corporate to be known and designated as the Town of Grottoes, and as such, shall have perpetual succession, may sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, contract and be contracted with, and have a corporate seal that it may alter, renew, or amend at its pleasure by ordinance.

§ 1.2.

R The territory embraced within the present limits of the Town of Grottoes is described in a recordation in the Clerk's Office of the court where deeds are filed.

§ 2.1.

General Grant of Powers.

All powers vested in the Town by this Charter shall be thoseexercised not expressly prohibited by theits Constitutiongoverning andbody generalunless lawexpressly ofprovided the Commonwealth of Virginiade and that are necessary or desirable to secure and promote the generalcontrary. welfare of the Town's inhabitants and the safety, health, peace, good order, comfort, convenience, morals, trade, commerce, and industry of the Town and the Town's inhabitants, and the enumeration of specific powers shall not be construed or held to be exclusive or as a limitation upon any general grant of power but shall be construed and held to be in addition to any general grant of power.

TheSuch exercisepowers shall include those not expressly prohibited by the Constitution and general law of the powersCommonwealth conferredof underVirginia thisand sectionthat isare specificallynecessary limitedor desirable to thesecure areaand withinpromote the corporategeneral limitswelfare of the Town,Town's unlessinhabitants otherwiseand conferredthe insafety, thehealth, applicablepeace, sectionsgood order, comfort, convenience, morals, trade, commerce, and industry of the ConstitutionTown and generalthe laws,Town's asinhabitants, amended,and the enumeration of thespecific Com(c)powers Repealshall not be construed or held to be exclusive or as a limitation upon any general grant of priorpower inconsistentbut actsshall be construed and Charters.held to be in addition to any general grant of power.

The exercise of the powers conferred under this section is specifically limited to the area within the corporate limits of the Town, unless otherwise conferred in the applicable sections of the Constitution and general laws, as amended, of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

(c) Repeal of prior inconsistent acts and Charters.

§ 2.2.

Financial Powers.

In accordance with the Constitution of Virginia and the United States Constitution, the Town may raise through annual taxes and assessments on property, persons, and other subjects of of 6 taxation that are not prohibited by law such sums of money as in the judgment of the Town are necessary to pay the debts, defray the expenses, accomplish the purposes, and perform the functions of of 5 the Town, in such manner as the Council deems necessary or expedient.

make reasonable rules and regulations for promoting the purity of the Town water supply and protecting it from pollution and for this purpose exercise full police powers and sanitary patrol over all lands comprised within the limits of the watershed tributary to any such water of 6 supply wherever such lands may be located in the Commonwealth of Virginia;

impose and enforce adequate penalties for the violation of any such rules and regulations and prevent by injunctioEinjunction any pollution or threatened pollution of such water supply and any and all acts likely to impair the purity thereof;

and for the purpose of acquiring lands, interest in lands, property rights, and riparian rights or materials for any such use, exercise all powers of eminent domain provided by the laws of the Rof 5 Commonwealth of Virginia.

For any of the purposes aforesaid, said Town may, if the Council shall so ofdetermine, themacquire in fee.ire by condemnation, purchase, or otherwise any estate or interest in such landsOorlands or any (b)of Wastewaterthem collectionin andfee. treatment.

(b) Wastewater collection and treatment.

The Town may own, operate, and maintain wastewater treatment plants and acquire in any lawful manner in any town, county or city of the Commonwealth of Virginia such lands and property rights as the L Council may deem necessary for the purpose of providing the Town with an adequate wastewater E treatment, and of collecting the same;

make reasonable rules and regulations for protecting the Town from pollution and for this purpose exercise full police powers and sanitary patrol over all lands comprised within the limits of the watershed tributary to the Town's water supply wherever such lands may be located in the Commonwealth of Virginia;

impose and enforce adequateyadequate penalties for the violation of any such rules and regulations;

For any of the purposes aforesaid, said Town may, Sfif the Council shall so determine, acquire by condemnation, purchase, or otherwise any estate or inter9stinterest in such lands or any of them in fee.

E (c) Streets;

The Town may establish, maintaRn,maintain, improve, alter, vacate, regulate, and otherwise manage its streets, alleys, parks, playgrounds, and all of its public infrastructure and public works, in such manner as best serves the public interest, safety, and convenience;

regulate, limit, restrict, and control the services and routes of and rates charged by polesvehicles and wires for electric,the telephone,carrying telegraph,of television,passengers and otherproperty purposes to be erected and gas pipes to be laid in theaccordance streetswith andgeneral alleyslaw; and prescribe and collect an annual charge for such privileges;

permit or prohibit poles and wires for electric, telephone, telegraph, television, and other purposes to be erected and gas pipes to be laid in the streets and alleys and prescribe and collect an annual charge for such privileges;

The Town reasonablemay chargescollect therefor;and dispose of ashes, garbage, carcasses of dead animals, and other refuse;

make reasonable charges therefor;

compel the removal of grass and weeds unwholesome,from unsanitary,private orand unhealthypublic substancesproperty allowedand tosnow accumulatefrom insidewalks; or on any place or offensive, premises;

require the covering or removal of offensive, unwholesome, unsanitary, or unhealthy substances allowed to accumulate in or on any place or premises;

(b) The Town may also do all things whatsoever necessary or expedient for promoting or maintaining the general welfare, comfort, education, morals, peace, government, health, trade, commerce, or industries of the Town or its inhabitants;

prescribe any penalty for the violation of any of 6 Town ordinance, rule, or regulation or of any provisions of this Charter, not exceeding the fine or sentence imposed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia;

of 5 § 2.8.

The call or request shall be made to of 6 the Clerk and shall specify the matters to be considered at the meeting.

Upon receipt of such call or request, the Clerk of the Council, after consultation with the Mayor, shall immediately notify Eacheach member of the Council and the Town attorney in writing delivered in person, or to his or her place of residence or business or, if so requested by the member of the governing body, by electronic mail or facsimile, to attend such meeting at the time and place stated in the notice.