§8-13B-9 Ordinance to create district as approved by council and authorized by the Legislature.
§8-13B-9. Ordinance to create district as approved by council and authorized by the Legislature.
(a) If a downtown redevelopment district project has been approved by the council, and the establishment of such a district has been authorized by the Legislature, all in accordance with this article, the governing body of the municipality may create the district by ordinance as provided for in article eleven of this chapter: Provided, That the governing body may not amend, alter or change in any manner the boundaries of the downtown redevelopment district as approved by the council. In addition to all other requirements, the ordinance shall contain the following:
(1) The name of the district and a description of its boundaries;
(2) A summary of any proposed services to be provided and capital improvements to be made within the district and a reasonable estimate of any attendant costs;
(3) The base and rate of any special district excise tax that may be imposed upon the businesses for the privilege of operating within the district, which tax shall be passed on to and paid by the consumer, and the manner in which the taxes will be imposed, administered and collected, all of which shall be in conformity with the requirements of this article; and
(4) The district board members' terms, their method of appointment and a general description of the district board's powers and duties: Provided, That such powers may include the authority to: (A) Make and adopt all necessary bylaws and rules for its organization and operations not inconsistent with any applicable laws; (B) to elect its own officers, to appoint committees and to employ and fix compensation for personnel necessary for its operations; (C) to enter into contracts with any person, agency, government entity, agency or instrumentality, firm, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company or corporation, including both public and private corporations, and for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, and generally to do any and all things necessary or convenient for the purpose of promoting, developing and advancing the purposes described in section two of this article; (D) to amend or supplement any contracts or leases or to enter into new, additional or further contracts or leases upon such terms and conditions, for such consideration and for such term of duration, with or without option of renewal, as may be agreed upon by the district board and such person, agency, government entity, agency or instrumentality, firm, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company or corporation; (E) unless otherwise provided for in, and subject to the provisions of, such contracts, or leases, to operate, repair, manage, and maintain such buildings and structures and provide adequate insurance of all types, and in connection with the primary use thereof and incidental thereto to provide such services, such as retail stores, and restaurants, and to effectuate such incidental purposes, grant leases, permits, concessions or other authorizations to any person or persons, upon such terms and conditions, for such consideration and for such term of duration as may be agreed upon by the district board and such person, agency, governmental department, firm or corporation; (F) to delegate any authority given to it by law to any of its officers, committees, agents or employees; (G) to apply for, receive and use grants-in-aid, donations and contributions from any source or sources, and to accept and use bequests, devises, gifts and donations from any person, firm or corporation; (H) to acquire real property by gift, purchase, or construction, or in any other lawful manner, and hold title thereto in its own name and to sell, lease or otherwise dispose of all or part of such real property which it may own, either by contract or at public auction, upon the approval by the district board; (I) to purchase or otherwise acquire, own, hold, sell, lease and dispose of all or part of any personal property which it may own, either by contract or at public auction; (J) pursuant to a determination by the district board that there exists a continuing need for redevelopment expenditures, and that moneys or funds of the district are necessary therefor, to borrow money and execute and deliver the district's negotiable notes and other evidences of indebtedness therefor, on such terms as the district shall determine, and give such security therefor as shall be requisite, including, without limitation, a pledge of the district's rights in its sub-account of the downtown district redevelopment fund; (K) to acquire (either directly or on behalf of the municipality) an interest in any entity or entities that own any real property situate in the district, to contribute capital to such entity or entities and to exercise the rights of an owner with respect thereto; and (L) to expend its funds in the execution of the powers and authority herein given, which expenditures, by the means authorized herein, are hereby determined and declared as a matter of legislative finding to be for a public purpose and use, in the public interest, and for the general welfare of the people of West Virginia, to alleviate and prevent economic deterioration and to relieve the existing critical condition of unemployment existing within the state.
(b) The ordinance shall also state the general intention of the municipality to redevelop and increase services and to make capital improvements within the district.