Title 15.2, Title 15.2. Counties, Cities and Towns

Every governing body of a locality shall be a continuing body, and no measure pending before such body shall abate or be discontinued by reason of expiration of the term of office or removal of any or all members of the governing body.

Every locality may sue or be sued in its own name in relation to all matters connected with its duties. The process instituting suit against a locality shall be served as provided in § 8.01-300. The governing body of any locality may enter into a written agreement to submit any e…

The members of the governing bodies of any locality or political subdivision and the members of boards, commissions, agencies and authorities thereof and other governing bodies of any local governmental entity, whether compensated or not, shall be immune from suit arising from th…

The compensation of governing bodies and their chairmen, vice-chairmen, mayors and vice-mayors shall be determined as provided in Article 1.1 (§ 15.2-1414.1 et seq.) of Chapter 14 of Title 15.2.

Any duly elected member of a governing body who is an employee of that locality may receive administrative leave each year in addition to his annual and sick leave.

A. The term "officer or employee," as used in this section, includes members of local governing bodies, county or city officers and employees, and individuals who receive monetary compensation for service on or employment by agencies, boards, authorities, sanitary districts, comm…

The governing body of any locality may make such investigations relating to its government affairs as it deems necessary, may employ financial, legal and other personnel it deems necessary to assist in such investigations, may order the attendance of witnesses and the production …

Every chairman and mayor shall have power to administer an oath to any person concerning any matter submitted to the board or council or connected with their powers or duties.

The governing body of any locality may appoint such advisory boards, committees, and commissions as it deems necessary to advise the governing body with regard to any matter of concern to the locality. Members shall be appointed to serve at the pleasure of the governing body. The…

Any locality may provide for the photographing or microphotographing, or the recording by any other process which accurately reproduces or forms a durable medium for reproducing the original of all or any part of the papers, records, documents or other material kept by or in the …

Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, general or special, any locality may, by ordinance, provide a method to assure continuity in its government, in the event of an enemy attack or other disaster. Such ordinance shall be limited in its effect to a period not exceeding 1…

Any locality wishing to have a legal enumeration of the population of the locality, or part thereof, may make application therefor to the circuit court for the locality. When the application is made, the judge shall forthwith divide the locality, or part thereof, into such distri…

Each member of the board of supervisors of each county shall be allowed and paid out of the county levy an annual salary, to be fixed as herein provided, for his services in attending the meetings of the board and in discharging the duties imposed by law upon him.

The annual compensation to be allowed each member of the board of supervisors of a county shall be determined by the board of supervisors of such county but such compensation shall not be more than a maximum determined in the following manner. Prior to July 1 of each year, the cu…

In lieu of other provisions of law, the boards of supervisors of the several counties may establish annually, by ordinance, and pay in monthly installments each of their members an annual salary pursuant to the following procedure and schedule: 1. On a date determined by the boar…

Each member of the council of each city shall be allowed and paid out of the city levy an annual salary in equal monthly installments, or in accordance with the payroll cycle of city employees, to be fixed as herein provided, for his services in attending the meetings of the coun…

A. Subject to the exception provided for in § 15.2-1414.5, the annual salary of each member of the council of any city shall be set by its members by ordinance after a public hearing pursuant to notice in the manner and form provided in §§ 15.2-1426 and 15.2-1427, notwithstanding…

Notwithstanding any provision of a charter of a town or any other law, a town council may establish the compensation to be paid to council members and the mayor. No increase in salary of a council member or mayor shall take effect during the incumbent council member's or mayor's …

Unless otherwise specially provided, a governing body may exercise any of the powers conferred upon it at any meeting of the governing body, regular, special or adjourned at which a quorum is present. A majority of the governing body shall constitute a quorum except as may be oth…

A. The governing body shall assemble at a public place as the governing body may prescribe, in regular session in January for counties and in July for cities and towns. Future meetings shall be held on such days as may be prescribed by resolution of the governing body but in no e…

During the time prior to the governing body's actual call to order or convening of business, any expressions by members of the governing body or members of the public shall be held consistent with the individual's First Amendment right of freedom of speech.

The governing body may also hold such special meetings, as it deems necessary, at such times and places as it finds convenient. It may adjourn such special meetings from time to time as it finds convenient and necessary.

A special meeting of the governing body shall be held when called by the chairman or mayor or requested by two or more of the members of the board of supervisors or council. The call or request shall be made to the clerk, and shall specify the matters to be considered at the meet…

Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, general or special, the governing body of any locality may establish the regular meeting times (day and hour) of its authorities, boards and commissions so as to prevent conflict with other meetings.

All questions submitted to the governing body for decision shall be determined by a majority of the members voting on any such question unless another method of determination is required by the Constitution of Virginia or general law. In counties which have designated a tie break…

The governing body of each county may designate a tie breaker, whose duty it shall be to cast the deciding vote in case of tie, as set forth in § 15.2-1420. The designation of the tie breaker shall be by election by the voters of the county from the county at large. Every tie bre…

Unless the presiding officer is elected by popular vote, every governing body, at its first meeting after taking office, shall elect one of its number as presiding officer. Such officer shall be called "chairman," "chairwoman," "chair," "chairperson," or "chair-at-large," in the …

In addition to being presiding officer, the chairman or mayor, as the case may be, shall be the head of the local government for all official functions and ceremonial purposes. He shall have a vote but no veto. In the event that there is no chief administrative officer, it shall …

Vacancies in the office of board of supervisors or of council or an elected chairman or mayor, for whatever reason, shall be filled as provided for in Title 24.2. A member of the board or council may be elected or appointed to fill a vacancy in the office of chairman or mayor. Th…

The governing body of every locality in the performance of its duties, obligations and functions may adopt, as appropriate, ordinances, resolutions and motions.

The object of every ordinance, except an ordinance approving a budget, an annual appropriation ordinance or an ordinance which codifies ordinances, shall be clearly expressed in its title. All ordinances which repeal or amend existing ordinances shall identify by title the sectio…

A. Unless otherwise specifically provided for by the Constitution or by other general or special law, an ordinance may be adopted by majority vote of those present and voting at any lawful meeting. B. On final vote on any ordinance or resolution, the name of each member of the go…

No ordinance or resolution appropriating money exceeding the sum of $500, imposing taxes, or authorizing the borrowing of money shall be passed except by a recorded affirmative vote of a majority of all members elected to the governing body. In case of the veto of such an ordinan…

Any locality may prescribe fines and other punishments for violations of ordinances, which shall be enforced by proceedings as if such violations were misdemeanors. However, no fine or term of confinement for the violation of ordinances shall exceed the penalties provided by gene…

Upon conviction for the violation of any ordinance, the court trying the case may require bond of the person so convicted with proper security in the penalty of not more than $5,000, conditioned not to violate the ordinance for the breach of which he has been convicted for the pe…

An appeal from any fine or imprisonment shall be as in misdemeanor cases. Whenever any fine is imposed but not paid, the court trying the case shall proceed in accordance with Article 4 (§ 19.2-354 et seq.) of Chapter 21 of Title 19.2.

A court of competent jurisdiction, in addition to the penalty imposed for the violation of any ordinance, may enjoin the continuing violation thereof by proceedings for an injunction brought in any court for the county or municipal corporation having jurisdiction to grant injunct…

Any locality may codify or recodify any or all of its ordinances, in permanently bound or loose-leaf form. Such ordinances may be changed, altered or amended by the governing body, and ordinances or portions thereof may be deleted and new material may be added by the governing bo…

A. Every locality shall provide for all the governmental functions of the locality, including, without limitation, the organization of all departments, offices, boards, commissions and agencies of government, and the organizational structure thereof, which are necessary and the e…

A. As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning: "Age" means being an individual who is at least 40 years of age. "Military status" means status as (i) a member of the uniformed forces, as defined in 10 U.S.C. § 101(a)(5), of the United States or a res…

Whenever it is not designated by general law or special act which officer or employee of the locality shall exercise any power or perform any duty conferred upon or required of the locality, then any such power shall be exercised or duty performed by the officer or employee of th…

A. Local government officers may employ, when duly authorized by the governing body, deputies and assistants to aid them in carrying out their powers and duties. The provisions of this section and § 15.2-1503 shall not be applicable to the constitutional offices of treasurer, com…

A. All appointments of officers and hiring of other employees by a locality shall be without definite term, unless for temporary services not to exceed one year or except as otherwise provided by general law or special act. B. Any officer or employee of a locality employed pursua…

Any locality having a local ordinance adopted in accordance with § 19.2-389 (i) shall require any applicant who is offered or accepts employment with the locality, (ii) shall require any prospective licensee for any categories of license designated by ordinance, or (iii) may requ…

No employee of or applicant for employment with a locality or any political subdivision of the Commonwealth shall be required, as a condition of employment, to smoke or use tobacco products on the job, or to abstain from smoking or using tobacco products outside the course of his…

Notwithstanding any contrary provision of general or special law, no locality, or any agency thereof, including school boards, or any local housing or redevelopment authority created pursuant to § 36-4, that receives any funds from the Commonwealth, shall condition employment or …