CHAPTER 373

An Act to amend and reenact § 2.02 of Chapter 211 of the Acts of
Assembly of 1962, approved March 9, 1962, which provided a
charter for the consolidated city of Chesapeake, the section relating
to additional powers of the city.

[S 231]

Approved April 2, 1968

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 2.02 of Chapter 211, of the Acts of Assembly of 1962,
approved March 9, 1962, be amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 2.02. ADDITIONAL POWERS. Without limiting the generality
of the foregoing, but in addition thereto, the Consolidated City shall have
the following additional powers:

(a) To levy a higher tax in such areas of the Consolidated City as
desire additional or more complete services of government than are desired
in the city as a whole, provided that such higher tax rate shall not be
levied for school, police or general government services but only for those
services which prior to the effective date of this charter were not offered
in all the territory within the boundaries of the city and provided further
that the proceeds from such higher tax rate shall be so segregated as to
enable the same to be expended in the areas in which raised.

(b) To levy a special tax on locally taxable property in any borough,
sanitary district or other special taxing district or combination thereof,
for a period of not exceeding 20 years, which may be different from and
in addition to the general tax rate throughout the city, for the purpose
of repaying indebtedness existing on the effective date of this charter and
chargeable to such borough, sanitary district or other special taxing dis-
trict or combination thereof. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
section or the consolidation agreement, the Consolidated City may by
ordinance call for a referendum on the removal of special taxes and on
approval by a majority of the voters voting in such referendum, then the
council may remove any or all such special taxes, which may not thereafter
be reestablished so long as payment of principal of and interest on such
indebtedness is not in default.

(c) To acquire, construct and maintain or authorize the construction
and maintenance of bridges, viaducts, subways or underpasses over or
under the Elizabeth River or any other stream, creek or ravine when any
portion of such bridge, viaduct, subway or underpass is within the city
limits, and to charge or authorize the charging of tolls for their use by the
public, and to require compensation for their use by public utility, trans-
mission or transportation companies, except as the right to require such
compensation is affected by any contract heretofore or hereafter made with
the company concerned.
(d) To acquire, construct, own, maintain and operate, within and
without the city, landings, wharves, docks, canals and the approaches to
and appurtenances thereof, tracks, spurs, crossings, switchings, terminals,
warehouses and terminal facilities of every kind and description neces-
sary or useful in the transportation and storage of goods, wares and
merchandise; perform any and all services in connection with the receipt,
delivery, shipment and transfer in transit, weighing, marking, tagging,
ventilating, refrigerating, icing, storing and handling of goods, wares and
merchandise; prescribe and collect charges from vessels coming into or
using any of the landings, wharves and docks, and from persons using any
of the facilities above described; provide for the management and control
of such facilities or any of them by a department of the city government
or by a board, commission or agency specially established by ordinance for
the purpose; lease any or all of such facilities or any concessions properly
incident thereto to any person, firm or corporation or contract with any
person, firm or corporation for the maintenance and operation of any or
all of such facilities on such terms and conditions as the council may
determine by ordinance; apply to the proper authorities of the United
States to grant to the city the privilege of establishing, maintaining and
operating a foreign trade zone within the city; regulate the use of other
landings, wharves and docks located on the Elizabeth River within the
city ; prevent and remove obstructions from the harbor of the Elizabeth
River and in, upon or near the landings, wharves, docks or canals
adjacent thereto, and collect from the person or persons responsible for
such obstructions the cost of their removal; close or discontinue the use of
any such wharf, landing, dock or canal now owned or hereafter acquired
by the city and upon the closing or discontinuance of such use the same
shall thereupon be forever discharged from any public use or easement or
from any obligation therefor imposed by reason of such public use or
easement by statute or otherwise.

(e) To exercise all powers possessed by the City of South Norfolk
and Norfolk County immediately preceding the effective date of this
charter, consistent with general law and not inconsistent with this
charter.

2. An emergency exists and this act is in force from its passage.