Title 24, Municipal and County Government

§ 4473. Purpose; limitation It is the purpose of this chapter to provide for review of all questions arising out of or with respect to the implementation by a municipality of this chapter. Except as specifically provided herein, no board of adjustment or development review board …

§ 4474. Clerk’s certificate A certificate of the clerk of a municipality showing the publication, posting, consideration, and adoption of a plan, bylaw, capital budget, or program or amendment thereof shall be presumptive evidence of the facts as they relate to the lawful adoptio…

§ 4480. Construction of chapter The provisions of this chapter shall not affect any act done, contract executed, or liability incurred prior to its effective date, or affect any suit or prosecution pending or to be instituted, to enforce any right, rule, regulation, or ordinance …

§ 4481. Saving clause The amendment of this chapter and the repeal of prior enabling laws relating to zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, or bylaws or any ordinance or regulation similar to a bylaw authorized by this chapter shall not invalidate any zoning ordinance, subd…

§ 4482. Severability If any provision of this chapter or the application of this chapter to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of this chapter that can be given effect without the invalid provision or applic…

§ 4483. Construction; limitation (a) In reviewing the procedures used in the adoption, amendment, or repeal of any plan or bylaw, no court shall invalidate the plan or bylaw or its amendment or repeal because of a failure to adhere to strict and literal requirements of this chapt…

§ 4498. Housing budget and investment reports The Commissioner of Housing and Community Development shall: (1) Create a Vermont housing budget designed to assure efficient expenditure of State funds appropriated for housing development, to encourage and enhance cooperation among …

§ 4501. Creation of conservation commissions A conservation commission may be created at any time when a municipality votes to create one, or, if the charter of a municipality permits it, when the legislative body of the municipality votes to create one. (Added 1977, No. 250 (Adj…

§ 4502. Membership; appointment; terms (a) A conservation commission shall have not less than three nor more than nine members. All members shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed by the municipality for necessary and reasonable expenses. All members shall be resi…

§ 4503. Removals; vacancies (a) Any member of a conservation commission may be removed at any time for just cause by vote of the legislative body, for reasons given to him or her in writing and after a public hearing thereon if he or she so requests. (b) Any appointment to fill a…

§ 4504. Rules (a) At its organizational meeting a conservation commission shall adopt by majority vote of those present and voting such rules as it deems necessary and appropriate for the performance of its functions. It shall annually elect a chair, a treasurer, and a clerk. (b)…

§ 4505. Powers and duties of conservation commissions Any conservation commission created under this chapter may: (1) make an inventory and conduct continuing studies of the natural resources of the municipality including: (A) air, surface and ground waters, and pollution thereof…

§ 4506. Disposition of property Land, rights, or other property acquired by a municipality under this chapter shall not be sold or diverted to uses other than conservation or recreation except after approval by an affirmative vote of the voters of the town at the annual meeting. …

§ 4551. Definitions As used in this chapter: (1) “Bank” means the Vermont Bond Bank established by section 4571 of this title. (2) “Bonds” means bonds of the Bank issued under this chapter. (3) “County” means any county of the State. (4) “General Fund” means the fund established …

§ 4552. Law governing It is the intent of the General Assembly that in the event of any conflict or inconsistency in the provisions of this chapter and any other laws pertaining to matters established in this chapter or provided for or in any rules adopted under this chapter or o…

§ 4553. Liberal construction This chapter shall be construed liberally to effectuate the legislative intent and the purposes of the chapter as complete and independent authority for the performance of each and every act and thing authorized by this chapter and all powers granted …

§ 4554. Administration expenses All expenses incurred in carrying out this chapter are payable solely from revenues or funds provided under this chapter and nothing in this chapter authorizes the Bank to incur any indebtedness or liability on behalf of or payable by the State. (A…

§ 4555. Duties of State Treasurer (a) The State Treasurer may receive from the United States of America or any department or agency thereof any amounts of money as and when appropriated, allocated, granted, turned over, or in any way provided for the purposes of the Bank or this …

§ 4556. Cooperation by government agencies; cost All officers, departments, boards, agencies, divisions, and commissions of the State must render any services to the Bank as are within the area of their respective governmental functions as fixed by law and as may be requested by …

§ 4571. Establishment There is hereby established a body corporate and politic, with corporate succession, to be known as the “Vermont Bond Bank.” The Bank is hereby constituted as an instrumentality exercising public and essential governmental functions, and the exercise by the …

§ 4571a. Reports The Vermont Bond Bank shall prepare and submit, consistent with 2 V.S.A. § 20(a), a report on activities for the preceding calendar year, pursuant to section 4594 of this title. (Added 2003, No. 122 (Adj. Sess.), § 294i; amended 2023, No. 72, § 26, eff. June 19, …

§ 4572. Membership; vacancies The Bank established by section 4571 of this title shall consist of the following five directors: the State Treasurer, or his or her designee, who shall be a director ex officio, and four directors appointed by the Governor with the advice and consen…

§ 4573. Removal from office; oath Each director may be removed from office by the Governor, for cause, after a public hearing, and may be suspended by the Governor pending the completion of the hearing. Each director before entering upon his or her duties shall take and subscribe…

§ 4574. Officers; quorum The directors shall elect one of their number as chair. The directors shall elect a secretary and a treasurer who need not be directors, and the same person may be elected to serve both as secretary and treasurer. The powers of the Bank are vested in the …

§ 4575. Bonding of members Before the issuance of any bonds or notes under this chapter, each director of the Bank shall execute a surety bond in the penal sum of $25,000.00 and the treasurer of the Bank shall execute a surety bond in the penal sum of $50,000.00. Each surety bond…

§ 4576. Compensation; expenses The directors of the Bank shall receive a per diem compensation in the amount of $30.00 for each day devoted to official duties and reimbursement for actual expenses necessarily incurred in the discharge of their duties. Notwithstanding any other la…

§ 4577. Staff The Bank may employ such officers, agents, and employees as it may require and determine their qualifications, terms of office, duties, and compensation all without regard to 3 V.S.A. chapter 13. (Added 1969, No. 216 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. March 27, 1970.)

§ 4591. General powers The Bank has the following powers for carrying out the purposes of this chapter: (1) to sue and be sued; (2) to adopt an official seal and alter it at pleasure; (3) to make and enforce rules for the conduct of its business and for use of its services and fa…

§ 4592. Supplementary powers The Bank, in addition to any other powers granted in this chapter, has the following powers: (1) In connection with any loan to a governmental unit, to consider the need, desirability, or eligibility of the loan, the ability of the governmental unit t…

§ 4593. Prohibited acts Under this chapter, a bank may not: (1) make loans of money to any person, firm, or corporation other than a government or a governmental agency or subdivision, or purchase securities issued by any person, firm, or corporation other than a governmental uni…

§ 4594. Annual report; audit On or before the last day of February in each year, the Bank shall make a report of its activities for the preceding calendar year to the Governor and to the General Assembly. Each report shall set forth a complete operating and financial statement co…

§ 4595. Annual budget (a) On or before December 1 in each year, the Bank shall adopt an annual budget for the succeeding year. The budget shall set forth the general categories of expected expenditures and the amount on account of each and shall include a provision or reserve for…

§ 4596. Care and custody of bonds The Bank may enter into agreements or contracts with any bank, trust companies, banking or financial institutions within or without the State as may be necessary, desirable, or convenient in the opinion of the Bank for rendering services to the B…

§ 4621. Form of obligation; faith and credit (a) Bonds and notes issued under this chapter are not in any way a debt or liability of the State and do not create or constitute any indebtedness, liability or obligation of the State nor are they or do they constitute a pledge of the…

§ 4622. Negotiability of bonds or notes Whether or not the notes and bonds are of such form and character as to be negotiable instruments under the terms of the Uniform Commercial Code 9A V.S.A. § 1-101 et seq., the notes and bonds are hereby made negotiable instruments within th…

§ 4623. Bonds or notes as legal investment Notwithstanding any other law, the State and all public officers, governmental units, and agencies thereof, all banks, trust companies, savings banks and institutions, building and loan associations, savings and loan associations, invest…

§ 4624. Tax exemption All property of the Bank is public property devoted to an essential public and governmental function and purpose and is exempt from all taxes and special assessments of the State or any subdivision thereof. All bonds or notes issued under this chapter are is…

§ 4641. Loans to governmental units The Bank, for the purpose of this chapter, may lend money to governmental units through the purchase by the Bank of municipal bonds or revenue bonds of governmental units. The Bank, under this chapter, may issue its bonds and notes and may othe…

§ 4642. Amount and purpose; general obligation (a) The Bank may issue its bonds or notes in such principal amounts as it shall deem necessary to provide funds for any purposes under this chapter, including: (1) The making of loans; (2) The payment, funding or refunding of the pri…

§ 4643. Form of issuance (a) Bonds or notes of the Bank shall be authorized by resolution of the Bank and may be issued in one or more series and shall bear such date or dates, mature at such time or times, bear interest at such rate or rates of interest per annum or within such …

§ 4644. Sale price Bonds or notes of the Bank may be sold at public or private sale at such price as the Bank determines. (Added 1969, No. 216 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. March 27, 1970.)

§ 4645. Administrative consent or conditions not required Bonds or notes may be issued under this chapter without obtaining the consent of any department, division, commission, board, bureau, or agency of the State, and without any other proceeding or the happening of any other c…

§ 4646. Approval of Governor and Treasurer No resolution or other action of the Bank providing for the issuance of bonds may be adopted or otherwise made effective without the prior approval in writing of the Governor and the State Treasurer. The powers conferred by this section …

§ 4647. Payment or refunding of notes The Bank may from time to time issue its notes under this chapter and pay and retire or fund or refund the notes from proceeds of bonds or of other notes, or from any other funds or monies of the Bank available for that purpose in accordance …

§ 4648. Terms of agreement with bond or noteholder In any resolution of the Bank authorizing, or relating to the issuance of any bonds or notes, the Bank, in order to secure the payment of the bonds or notes and in addition to its other powers, may covenant and contract with the …

§ 4649. Purchase and disposition of own obligations The Bank may purchase bonds or notes of the Bank out of any of its funds or money available therefor. The Bank may hold, cancel, or resell the bonds or notes subject to and in accordance with agreements with holders of its bonds…