15.2-4203 - Organization of planning district commission.
§ 15.2-4203. Organization of planning district commission.
A. At any time after the establishment of the geographic boundaries of aplanning district, the localities embracing at least 45 percent of thepopulation within the district acting by their governing bodies may organizea planning district commission by written agreement. Any locality not a partyto such charter agreement shall continue as a part of the planning districtbut, until such time as such locality elects to become a part of the planningdistrict commission as hereinafter provided, shall not be represented in thecomposition of the membership of the planning district commission. Whenever aplanning district is created which contains only two counties, the governingbody of either county may organize a planning district commission inaccordance with the provisions of this chapter if the governing body of theother county does not agree to organize such a planning district commission.
B. The charter agreement shall set forth:
1. The name of the planning district. An entity organized as a planningdistrict commission under this act may employ the name "regional council"or "regional commission" as a substitute for the name "planning districtcommission."
2. The locality in which its principal office shall be situated.
3. The effective date of the organization of the planning district commission.
4. The composition of the membership of the planning district commission. Atleast a majority of its members shall be elected officials of the governingbodies of the localities within the district, or members of the GeneralAssembly, with each county, city and town of more than 3,500 populationhaving at least one representative. In any planning district other thanplanning district number 23, a town of 3,500 or less population may petitionthe planning district commission to be represented thereon. The planningdistrict commission may, in its discretion, grant representation to such townby a majority vote of the members of the commission. Other members shall bequalified voters and residents of the district. In planning districts number4 and 14, the membership may also include representatives of higher educationinstitutions. Should the charter agreement, as adopted, so provide, analternate may serve in lieu of one of the elected officials of each of thegoverning bodies of the participating localities.
5. The term of office of the members, their method of selection or removaland the method for the selection and the term of office of a chairman.
6. The voting rights of members. Such voting rights need not be equal and maybe weighed on the basis of the population of the locality represented by themember, the aggregation of the voting rights of members representing onelocality, or otherwise.
7. The procedure for amendment, for addition of other localities within theplanning district which are not parties to the original charter agreement,and the withdrawal from the charter agreement by localities within theplanning district electing to do so.
C. The governing body of any locality which is a member of the planningdistrict commission may provide for compensation to be paid by it for itscommission members, except for any full-time salaried employees of thelocality. The amount of such compensation shall not exceed the amount fixedby the planning district commission.
(1968, c. 224, § 15.1-1403; 1970, cc. 303, 703; 1972, c. 595; 1973, c. 176;1982, c. 660; 1989, c. 49; 1993, c. 838; 1995, cc. 732, 796; 1997, c. 587;1998, cc. 668, 686; 2000, c. 984; 2005, c. 819.)