Title 21, Title 21. Drainage, Soil Conservation, Sanitation and Public Facilities Districts

All proceedings had and all elections held in any sanitary district of the Commonwealth prior to June 30, 1954, whether under general law or by special act, to provide for and in respect to the contracting of bonded indebtedness and the authorization, issuance, sale, execution, a…

All proceedings heretofore taken and all elections heretofore held in sanitary districts of whatsoever kind in the Commonwealth of Virginia, whether under general law or special act, to provide for, and with respect to, the contracting of bonded indebtedness and the authorization…

All bonds heretofore issued by any sanitary district for any or all of the purposes specified in Article 1 (§ 21-112.22 et seq.) of Chapter 2 of Title 21 are hereby declared to be valid and legally binding obligations of such sanitary district, notwithstanding any limitations con…

This chapter may be known, designated and cited as the "Sanitation Districts Law of Nineteen Hundred and Thirty-Eight." 1938, p. 510; Michie Code 1942, § 1560hh.

Whenever used or referred to in this chapter, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context: (1) The term "district" means a sanitation district created and existing pursuant to §§ 21-145 to 21-153 or heretofore or hereafter created by a special act of the General A…

Every order made pursuant to this chapter requiring the opening of a poll and the taking of the sense of the qualified voters of a district or proposed sanitation district on a question, shall designate the question and a date for holding such election not less than thirty days f…

Whenever in this chapter the circuit court of any county, or the corporation court of any city, is authorized to accept any petitions or papers, make any order, hold any hearing, hear, consider and determine any question or do any other act or thing, such court, or a judge thereo…

Any integral body of territory within which are situated waters affected by the ebb and flow of the tide and none of which is embraced within any other sanitation district may, under the conditions and upon the taking and completion of the proceedings provided in this article, be…

Upon the presentation of a petition complying with the requirements of this article, praying for the creation of a sanitation district, fixing the boundaries thereof and naming the counties, cities and towns which in whole or in part are to be embraced therein, the circuit court …

Every such petition shall pray for the creation of the proposed sanitation district, shall set forth the name of the proposed sanitation district (which shall include the words "sanitation district"), shall fix the boundaries thereof, shall name the cities and counties and towns …

Every such petition shall be signed by not less than 200 qualified voters of the proposed sanitation district, including not less than 50 qualified voters of each city and county and town in whole or in part embraced within the proposed sanitation district. 1938, p. 512; Michie C…

Any person interested may answer the petition and make defense thereto, and at such hearing all persons interested or desiring to controvert the allegations of the petition or question the conformity thereof to this article or object to the creation of the proposed sanitation dis…

If upon the certification of the result of such election made by the Secretary of the Commonwealth to such court, it shall appear that a majority of the qualified voters of the proposed sanitation district voting at the election shall have voted "yes" and in favor of the creation…

If upon the certification of the results of the election provided for in § 21-150 it shall appear that a majority of the qualified voters of any county or of any city or of any town voting on the question at the election, shall have voted "no" against the creation of the proposed…

The State Health Commissioner is authorized, upon being satisfied that the creation of a proposed sanitation district will provide a practical means for abating or preventing the pollution of the tidal waters of the proposed sanitation district, to approve, as above referred to, …

The governing body of each city and county and town is authorized, in its discretion, to adopt resolutions, as above referred to, approving and joining in the prayer of petitions for the creation of a proposed sanitation district. 1938, p. 513; Michie Code 1942, § 1560jj.

Each district heretofore or hereafter created pursuant to this chapter or pursuant to a special act of the General Assembly, and the inhabitants of its territory as the same has been or may be established and from time to time altered pursuant to a law, is hereby created as a bod…

Each commission, constituting a corporation is hereby invested with the rights, powers and authority and charged with the duties set forth in this chapter, and shall constitute a political subdivision of the Commonwealth established as a governmental instrumentality to provide fo…

The bonds of such district or commission, and the property owned or operated by such district or commission shall be exempt from all taxation, and the interest on the bonds shall take the same status under tax laws as the interest on bonds of other political subdivisions of the C…

In and for each district, a board or commission is hereby created to manage and control the functions, affairs and property of the corporation and to exercise all of the rights, powers and authority and perform all of the duties conferred or imposed upon the corporation. Except a…

The board or commission shall elect from its members a chairman, whose term of office as such shall be one year, and who shall be eligible for reelection. Such commission under such rules as it may adopt, may elect one of its members vice-chairman, and may appoint a secretary, wh…

The members of the commission shall receive no salary, but shall be paid their necessary traveling and other expenses incurred in attendance upon meetings of the commission or while otherwise engaged in the discharge of their duties under this chapter, and the sum of $10 per diem…

Regular meetings of the commission shall be held at least once every month at such time and place as the commission shall from time to time prescribe. Special meetings of the commission shall be held upon one day's mailed notice, or actual notice otherwise given, to each member o…

Three members of the commission shall constitute a quorum, and the vote of three members of the commission shall be necessary to take any action. 1938, p. 514; 1942, p. 601; Michie Code 1942, § 1560kk; 1944, p. 73; 1946, p. 529.

Members of the commission may be suspended or removed by the Governor at his pleasure. 1938, p. 514; 1942, p. 601; Michie Code 1942, § 1560kk; 1944, p. 73; 1946, p. 529.

Each member of the commission shall, before entering upon the discharge of his duties under this chapter, take and subscribe the oath of office required by Article II, Section 7 of the Constitution of Virginia and shall be bonded in accordance with § 2.2-1840, conditioned upon th…

All contracts, except in cases of emergency, over $5,000 that the commission may let for construction or materials shall be let after public advertising. The commission shall advertise for bids for the work or materials at least ten days prior to the letting of any contracts ther…

The powers of condemnation or eminent domain conferred on the commission by this chapter shall be exercised by the board or commission under the same conditions and provisions and in accordance with the same procedure as in the case of the exercise of similar powers by the govern…

No pecuniary liability of any kind shall be imposed upon any county, city or town constituting any part of any district because of any act, agreement, contract, tort, malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance, by or on the part of the commission of such district, or any member of …

Every commission shall have the following powers: (1) To adopt and have a common seal and to alter the same at pleasure; (2) To sue and be sued; (3) In the name of the commission and on its behalf, to acquire, hold and dispose of its fees, rents and charges and other revenues; (4…

The purposes of every commission shall be the relief of the tidal waters of the district from pollution and the consequent improvement of conditions affecting the public health and the natural oyster beds, rocks and shoals. 1938, p. 516; Michie Code 1942, § 1560mm.

Every commission is authorized and directed to acquire, in the name of the commission but for the cities, counties and towns in whole or in part embraced within the district, by purchase, gift, condemnation or otherwise, and, notwithstanding the provisions of any charter, or ordi…

The commission is authorized and directed when in the judgment of the commission its sewage disposal system, or part thereof, will permit, to collect from any and all public sewage systems within the district all sewage and treat and dispose of the same in such manner as to promo…

In order to carry out and effectuate the purposes of the commission, every commission is authorized to enter upon and use and connect with any existing public drains, sewers, conduits, pipelines, pumping and ventilating stations and treatment plants or works or any other public p…

In order to carry out and effectuate the purposes of the commission, every commission is authorized to construct and operate its trunk, intercepting and outlet sewers, conduits and pipelines, along, over, under and in any streets, alleys, highways and other public places within t…

(a) Every commission is authorized to enter into contracts with the United States of America, or with any department, institution or agency thereof, on such terms and conditions as the commission may approve, providing for or relating to the treatment and disposal of sewage or in…

The method proposed to be used by a commission for treating and disposing of sewage and industrial wastes so as to prevent the pollution of the tidal waters of the district, and any substantial change in such method, shall, before being finally adopted or used by the commission, …

Neither the commission nor any of the counties, cities or towns in whole or in part embraced within the district shall have power to mortgage, pledge, encumber or otherwise dispose of any part of the sewage disposal system of a commission, except such part or parts thereof as may…

The commission is authorized, except as otherwise provided in § 21-158, to appoint all agents and employees of the commission, dismiss them, fix their salaries or remuneration, assign their positions and titles, define their respective powers and duties, and require them or any o…

(a) All moneys of a commission, whether derived from the sale of bonds or other obligations or from the collection of fees, rents and other charges charged by the commission or from any contract of the commission or from any other source shall be collected, received, held, secure…

Every commission shall keep and preserve complete and accurate accounts and records of all moneys received and disbursed by it and of all of its business and operations and of all property and funds owned or managed by it or under its control, and shall prepare and transmit to th…

Every commission is authorized to charge and collect fees, rents, or other charges for the use and services of the sewage disposal system. Such fees, rents and charges may be charged to and collected from any person contracting for the same or from the owner or lessee or tenant, …

Such fees, rents and charges being in the nature of use or service charges, shall as nearly as the commission shall deem practicable and equitable, be uniform throughout the district for the same type, class and amount of use or service of the sewage disposal system, and may be b…

The commission shall prescribe and from time to time when necessary revise a schedule of such fees, rents and charges which shall comply with the terms of any contract of the commission with the holders of bonds of the commission made pursuant to §§ 21-192 and 21-194 and in any e…

The commission shall likewise fix and determine the time or times when and the place or places where such fees, rents and charges shall be due and payable and may require that such fees, rents and charges shall be paid in advance for periods of not more than six months. A copy of…

In the event that the fees, rents or charges charged by the commission for the use and services of the sewage disposal system by or in connection with any real estate shall not be paid as and when due, then and at that time interest shall begin to accrue thereon at the rate of on…