12101088D
HOUSE BILL NO. 426
Offered January 11, 2012
Prefiled January 10, 2012
A BILL to amend and reenact §15.2-4209 of the Code of
Virginia, relating to planning districts; strategic plans.
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Patron-- Bulova
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Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §15.2-4209 of the Code of Virginia is amended
and reenacted as follows:
§15.2-4209. Preparation and adoption of regional strategic
plan.
A. Except in planning
districts in which regional planning is conducted by multi-state councils of
government, each Each planning
district commission shall prepare a regional strategic plan for the guidance of
the district. The plan shall concern those elements which are of importance in
more than one of the localities within the district, as distinguished from
matters of only local importance. The plan shall include regional goals and
objectives, strategies to meet those goals and objectives and mechanisms for
measuring progress toward the goals and objectives. The strategic plan shall
include those subjects necessary to promote the orderly and efficient
development of the physical, social and economic elements of the district such
as transportation, housing, economic development and environmental management. The
plan may be divided into parts or sections as the planning district commission
deems desirable. In developing the regional strategic plan, the planning
district commission shall seek input from a wide range of organizations in the
region, including local governing bodies, the business community and citizen
organizations.
B. Before the strategic plan is adopted, it shall be submitted
to the Department of Housing and Community Development and to the governing
body of each locality within the district for a period of not less than thirty 30
days prior to a hearing to be held by the planning district commission thereon,
after notice as provided in §15.2-2204. Each such local governing body shall
make recommendations to the planning district commission on or before the date
of the hearing with respect to the effect of the plan within its locality. The
Department of Housing and Community Development shall notify the planning
district commission prior to the hearing as to whether the proposed strategic
plan conflicts with plans of adjacent planning districts.
C. Upon approval of the strategic plan by a planning district
commission after a public hearing, it shall be submitted to the governing body
of each locality (excluding towns of less than 3,500 population unless members
of the commission) within the district for review and possible adoption. The
plan shall become effective with respect to all action of a planning district
commission upon approval by the planning district commission. The plan shall
not become effective with respect to the action of the governing body of any
locality within the district until adopted by the governing body of such
locality.
D. The adopted strategic plan shall be submitted within thirty 30
days of adoption to the Department of Housing and Community Development for
information and coordination purposes.
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