A. Every county, city, or town that enacts a wetlands zoning ordinance pursuant to this chapter shall create a wetlands board, consisting of five or seven residents of that jurisdiction appointed by the local governing body. All board members’ terms shall be for five years, except that the term of at least one of the original appointments shall expire during each of the succeeding five years. The chairman of the board shall notify the local governing body at least 30 days prior to the expiration of any member’s term and shall promptly notify the local governing body if any vacancy occurs. Vacancies shall be filled by the local governing body without delay upon receipt of such notice. Appointments to fill vacancies shall be for the unexpired portion of the term. Members may serve successive terms. A member whose term expires shall continue to serve until his successor is appointed and qualified. Members of the board shall hold no public office in the county or city other than membership on the local planning or zoning commission, the local erosion commission, the local board of zoning appeals, a board established by a local government to hear cases regarding ordinances adopted pursuant to the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act and regulations promulgated thereunder, or as director of a soil and water conservation board. When members of these local commissions or boards are appointed to a local wetlands board, their terms of appointment shall be coterminous with their membership on those boards or commissions. The governing body shall also appoint at least one but not more than three alternate members to the board. The qualifications, terms, and compensation of alternate members shall be the same as those of members. Any member who knows that he will not be able to attend a board meeting shall notify the chairman at least 24 hours in advance of such meeting. The chairman shall select an alternate member to serve in place of the absent member at the board meeting, which shall be noted in the records of the board.
B. Upon a hearing with at least 15 days’ notice thereof, any board member may be removed for malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance in office, or for other just cause, by the local governing body. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, a member of a local wetlands board may be removed from office by the local governing body without limitation in the event that the board member is absent from any three consecutive meetings of the board, or is absent from any four meetings of the board within any 12-month period. In either such event, a successor shall be appointed by the governing body for the unexpired portion of the term of the member who has been removed.
C. If a town does not enact a wetlands zoning ordinance within one year of its enactment by the surrounding county, application for permits to use and develop wetlands within the town shall be made to the county wetlands board.
D. Any county, city, or town that creates a local wetlands board pursuant to this section may compensate the members of the board in accordance with such terms and conditions as the locality may prescribe.
E. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the Town of Dumfries in Prince William County may enact a wetlands zoning ordinance pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.