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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>55128</law_id><section_number>15.2-2413.12</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="15.2">Counties, Cities and Towns</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="II">Powers of Local Government</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="24">Service Districts; Taxes and Assessments for Local Improvements</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="4">Business Improvement and Recruitment Districts</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Activities</span>&#x201D; means any programs or services provided for (i) the purposes of recruiting businesses to relocate in the <span class="dictionary">business improvement and recruitment district</span> and (ii) conferring specific benefits upon the businesses that are located in the <span class="dictionary">business improvement and recruitment district</span> and to which a fee is charged.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Benefited business</span>&#x201D; means a business located within a <span class="dictionary">business improvement and recruitment district</span> that benefits, directly or indirectly, by <span class="dictionary">business improvement and recruitment district</span> <span class="dictionary">activities</span> provided by such <span class="dictionary">business improvement and recruitment district</span>. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Benefited business</span>&#x201D; includes one or more types of businesses, one or more segments of businesses, or businesses within one or more industries, as set forth in a <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">business improvement and recruitment district</span> plan</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Benefit zone</span>&#x201D; means an apportioned area designated within a <span class="dictionary">business improvement and recruitment district</span> in which businesses pay a fee based upon the degree of benefit derived from <span class="dictionary">activities</span> to be provided.
		&#x201C;Business&#x201D; means a business of any kind located in a <span class="dictionary">business improvement and recruitment district</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Business fee</span>&#x201D; means any fee charged to a <span class="dictionary">benefited business</span> pursuant to this article.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Business improvement and recruitment district</span>&#x201D; means a district established by a locality under the provisions of this article within a <span class="dictionary">Main Street District</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">Business improvement and recruitment district</span> plan</span>&#x201D; means a proposal for a <span class="dictionary">business improvement and recruitment district</span> under the provisions of this article.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Business owner</span>&#x201D; means any person recognized by a locality as the owner of a business subject to a <span class="dictionary">business fee</span>. A business may appoint an authorized agent to act as its representative for the purposes of this article. Such agent shall be considered the <span class="dictionary">business owner</span> for the purposes of any signature required under this article or for any other purpose authorized by the <span class="dictionary">business owner</span>. A locality shall have no obligation to obtain other information as to the ownership of businesses, and its determination of ownership shall be final and conclusive for the purposes of this article.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Capital improvement</span>&#x201D; means an improvement to tangible personal property with an estimated useful life of five years or more.
		&#x201C;Fee&#x201D; means a fee charged by a locality in accordance with a <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">business improvement and recruitment district</span> plan</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Lead locality</span>&#x201D; means the locality in which the <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">business improvement and recruitment district</span> plan</span> is filed for the establishment of a <span class="dictionary">business improvement and recruitment district</span> where such district includes more than one locality.
		&#x201C;Locality&#x201D; means any <span class="dictionary">county</span>, <span class="dictionary">city</span>, or <span class="dictionary">town</span> in the Commonwealth.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Main Street District</span>&#x201D; means a physical setting that includes a commercial area focusing on economic development through locally owned businesses and structures that would benefit from rehabilitation.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Majority share of benefited businesses</span>&#x201D; means one or more benefited businesses within a <span class="dictionary">business improvement and recruitment district</span> or proposed <span class="dictionary">business improvement and recruitment district</span> that cumulatively comprise a simple majority.</p></section></text><history>2023, c. 745.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
