A. As used in this section, “military centered community” means a community designated by a locality that has a significant presence of military personnel living or working in the designated area and where such presence drives, or has the potential to drive, significant economic activity.
B. Any locality may establish, by ordinance, one or more military centered community zones. Each locality, or another political subdivision acting on behalf of the locality, may offer unique benefits to businesses looking to locate within a military centered community zone for the purpose of serving the needs of military personnel.
C. The benefits may be provided to businesses, including new residential developments, located in a military centered community zone for up to 20 years and may include, but need not be limited to, (i) reduction of permit fees, (ii) reduction of user fees, and (iii) notwithstanding any other provision of law, reduction of any type of gross receipts tax. In addition, local governing bodies are authorized to enter into agreements for the payment of economic development incentive grants to such businesses with payment of the grants conditioned upon the businesses making certain real property or capital investments, creating and maintaining new jobs, or performing or meeting other economic development objectives.
D. The governing body may also provide for regulatory flexibility in such zone that may include, but need not be limited to, (i) special zoning for the district, (ii) permit process reform, (iii) exemption from ordinances, and (iv) any other incentive adopted by ordinance, which shall be binding upon the locality for a period of up to 20 years.
E. The establishment of a military centered community zone shall not preclude the area from also being designated as an enterprise zone under the Enterprise Zone Grant Act (§ 59.1-538 et seq.) nor shall it preclude the area from receiving support under the Virginia Military Community Infrastructure Grant Program established in § 2.2-233.1.