                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

POWERS OF AUTHORITY (§ 15.2-5704)

Each authority shall be deemed to be performing essential governmental functions
providing for the public health and welfare, and is authorized and empowered:

1. To have existence for such term of years as specified by the participating
localities;

2. To adopt bylaws for the regulation of its affairs and the conduct of its
business;

3. To adopt an official seal and alter the same at pleasure;

4. To maintain an office at such place or places as it may designate;

5. To sue and be sued;

6. To acquire, purchase, lease as lessee, construct, reconstruct, improve,
extend, operate and maintain parks within, or partly within and partly outside,
one or more of the participating localities; to acquire by gift, purchase or the
exercise of the right of eminent domain lands or rights in land or water rights
in connection therewith; and to sell, lease as lessor, transfer or dispose of
any property or interest therein acquired by it; however, the power of eminent
domain shall not extend beyond the geographical limits of the localities
composing the authority;

7. To regulate the uses of all lands and facilities under control of the
authority;

8. To locate and operate a retail fee-based electric vehicle charging station on
property under the jurisdiction of the authority; to provide that the use of
such station is restricted to the employees of the locality, authority, and
authorized visitors; and to install signage that provides notice of such
restriction;

9. To issue revenue bonds and revenue refunding bonds of the authority, such
bonds to be payable solely from revenues derived from the use of the facilities
or the furnishing of park services;

10. To accept grants and gifts from the localities forming or thereafter joining
the authority, the Commonwealth, the federal government or any other
governmental bodies or political subdivisions, and from any other person;

11. To enter into contracts with the federal government, the Commonwealth, any
political subdivision, or any agency or instrumentality thereof, or with any
other person providing for or relating to the furnishing of park services or
facilities;

12. To contract with any municipality, county, person or any public authority or
political subdivision of this or any adjoining state, on such terms as the
authority shall deem proper, for the construction, operation and maintenance of
any park which is partly in this Commonwealth and partly in such adjoining
state;

13. To exercise the same rights for acquiring property for the construction or
improvement, maintenance or operation of a park as the locality or localities by
which such authority is created may exercise. The governing body of any
participating locality, notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, general
or special, is authorized and empowered to transfer jurisdiction over, to lease,
lend, grant or convey to the authority, upon the request of the authority, upon
such terms and conditions as the governing body of such locality may agree with
the authority as reasonable and fair, real or personal property as may be
necessary or desirable in connection with the acquisition, construction,
improvement, operation or maintenance of a park, including public roads and
other property already devoted to public use. Agreements may be entered into by
the authority with the Commonwealth, or any agency acting on behalf of the
Commonwealth, for the acquisition of any lands or property, owned or controlled
by the Commonwealth, for the purposes of construction or improvement,
maintenance or operation of a park;

14. In the event of annexation by a municipality not a member of the authority
of lands, areas, or territory served by the authority, then such authority may
continue to do business, exercise its jurisdiction over properties and
facilities in and upon or over such lands, areas or territory as long as any
bonds or indebtedness remain outstanding or unpaid, or any contracts or other
obligations remain in force;

15. To make and enter into all contracts and agreements necessary or incidental
to the performance of its duties and the execution of its powers under this
chapter, including a trust agreement or trust agreements securing any revenue
bonds or revenue refunding bonds issued hereunder;

16. To do all acts and things necessary or convenient to carry out the powers
granted by this chapter;

17. To borrow, at such rates of interest as the law authorizes, from the federal
government or any agency thereof, individuals, partnerships, or private or
municipal corporations, for the purpose of acquiring parklands and improvements
thereon; to issue its notes, bonds or other obligations; to secure such
obligations by mortgage or pledge of the property and improvements being
acquired and the income derived therefrom; and to use any revenues and other
income of the authority for payment of interest and retirement of principal of
such obligations provided that prior approval of the governing body of the
locality shall be obtained by an authority that was created by a single
locality. Any locality which has formed or joined an authority may lend money to
the authority. The power to borrow set forth in this subdivision shall be in
addition to the power to issue revenue bonds and revenue refunding bonds set
forth in subdivision 9 and &#xA7; 15.2-5712. Notes, bonds or other obligations
issued under this subdivision shall not be deemed to constitute a debt of the
Commonwealth or of any political subdivision of the Commonwealth or a pledge of
the faith and credit of the Commonwealth or of any political subdivision of the
Commonwealth; and

18. To adopt such rules and regulations from time to time, not in conflict with
the laws of this Commonwealth, concerning the use of properties under its
control as will tend to the protection of such property and the public thereon.
No such rule or regulation shall be adopted until after notice of an intention
to propose such rule or regulation for passage has been published in accordance
with the procedures required for the adoption of general county ordinances and
emergency county ordinances as set forth in &#xA7; 15.2-1427, mutatis mutandis.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 15-714.5; 1950, p. 1246; 1952, c. 401; 1956, c. 472;
1962, c. 623, § 15.1-1232; 1968, c. 613; 1976, c. 483; 1977, c. 381; 1981, c.
182; 1996, c. 279; 1997, c. 587; 2022, c. 255; 2024, cc. 225, 242.