CHAPTER 481

An Act to create the Alexandria Historical Restoration and Preservation
Commission; to provide for its membership, their appointment, terms
and compensation; to confer certain powers and duties; to grant
power to acquire and operate certain property; to authorize the city of
Alexandria to grant funds to the Commission, and to appropriate

funds.
[H 419]
Approved March 31, 1962
Whereas, Alexandria, Virginia, is one of the oldest communities In
the Commonwealth of Virginia and the United States; and

Whereas, Alexandria, Virginia, possesses historical values, cultural
traditions and elements of unique beauty and charm, including important
historic sites of state and national interest such as Captains’ Row, the
Carlyle House, the Flounder House, the Lloyd House, which are outstand-
ing examples of American Colonial and Georgian architecture ; and _

Whereas, it is desirable to restore these and other similar buildings,
and to preserve and maintain the same and other important landmarks, and
to adapt the area surrounding these buildings to a similar plan, design and
architecture in order to properly interpret and understand the history of
the city and its relation to the Commonwealth of Virginia; now, therefore

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. Definitions.—As used in this act, the following words and terms
shall have the following meanings, unless the context shall indicate an-
other or different meaning or intent:

(a) “Commission”’.—The Alexandria Historical Restoration and
Preservation Commission.

(b) “Facilities’”—Those sites, historic or otherwise, whether resi-
dential or commercial situated in the restorable area, whether real, per-
sonal or mixed, as to which the Commission desires to exercise the author-
ity granted in this act.

(c) “Restored facilities’—Those sites, historic or otherwise, whether
residential or commercial, situated in the restorable area, whether real,
personal or mixed, which the Commission has acquired and which the
Commission desires to restore, preserve, maintain, construct, reconstruct,
produce, reproduce and operate for the use, benefit, education, recreation,
enjoyment and general welfare of the people of the City of Alexandria
the Commonwealth of Virginia and the United States, in accordance with
the restoration period.

(d) “Restorable area”—The area or areas of the City of Alexandria
in which the Commission shall have been given the right to exercise the
powers of this chapter by an ordinance duly enacted by the city council
of Alexandria.

(e) “Restoration period”—The period of time during which the
Commission shall seek to conform the design, architecture and construc-
fon. shall be from the founding of the City of Alexandria to and includ-
ing .

§ 2. There is hereby created and constituted within the City of
Alexandria a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia to
be known as The Alexandria Historical Restoration and Preservation
Commission. The purpose and function of the Commission shall be to
acquire facilities in the restorable area and provide restored facilities in
accordance with the restoration period.

§ 3. The Commission shall consist of five members, three to be
appointed by the city council of Alexandria and two to be appointed by
the Governor; they shall be appointed within thirty days after the effec-
tive date of this act. Members of the original Commission shall be ap-
pointed for terms as follows: One for two years, two for three years and
two for four years, provided that the members appointed by the Governor
shall be appointed for four years, and thereafter members shall be
appointed for four-year terms except appointments to fill vacancies for
unexpired terms in which event the appointment shall be for the unex-
pired term only. The members of the Commission, including the chairman,
shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be entitled to
be reimbursed for per diem and travel expenses incurred in the perform-
ance of their official duties as members of the Commission. Each member
shall give a surety bond in the sum of ten thousand dollars, executed by
a surety company authorized to do business in this State, payable to the
Governor and his successors in office, and conditioned upon the faithful
performance of his duties.

§ 4. Not later than fifteen days after the appointment of its mem-
bership and annually thereafter the Commission shall hold an organiza-
tional meeting at which it shall elect from its membership a chairman, a
vice chairman and a secretary-treasurer. No business shall be transacted
by the Commission except at a regularly called meeting at which a quorum
is present and the minutes thereof recorded. Permanent records shall be
maintained which shall reflect all official transactions of the Commission.

§ 5. The State Treasurer shall be the ex officio treasurer of the
Commission and shall have the custody of all of its funds to be kept in
a special account. All receipts and disbursements of the Commission shall
be handled subject to the same laws, rules and regulation as State funds
are handled

§ 6. The Commission shall have power:

(a) To adopt a seal and alter the same at pleasure;

(b) To contract and be contracted with, to sue and be sued, to plead
and be impleaded in all courts of law and equity;

(c) To exercise any power not in conflict with the constitution and
laws of this State or the United States which is possessed by private
corporations;

(d) To establish an office in the City of Alexandria for the conduct
of its affairs;

(e) To purchase, acquire, lease or otherwise hold, facilities or any
interest therein for its authorized purpose;

(f) To own, hold, rent, sell, operate, maintain, repair and improve
or otherwise dispose of its restored facilities or any interest therein for
its authorized purposes;

(¢g) To acquire in its own name by purchase, grant, devise, gift or
lease, on such terms and conditions and in such manner as it may deem
necessary or expedient, facilities, including real property or rights or
easements therein or franchises necessary or convenient for its purposes
and to use the restored facilities so long as its existence shall continue
and to lease or make contracts with respect to the use or disposal of same,
or any part thereof, in any manner deemed by the Commission to be in
its best interest but only for the purposes for which it is created;

(h) To demolish, clear or remove buildings from any restorable area;
such work or undertaking may embrace the adaption of such area to
public purposes, including parks or other recreational or community pur-
poses; or to provide restored facilities for residential or commercial use;
such work or undertaking may include buildings, land, equipment, and
other real or personal property for necessary, convenient or desirable
appurtenances, streets, sewers, water services, parks, site preparation,
gardening, administrative, community, health, recreational, educational,
welfare or other purposes; or to accomplish a combination of the fore-
going. To plan buildings and improvements of a residential or commer-
cial design, to acquire property, to demolish existing structures, to con-
struct, reconstruct, alter and repair improvements and all other work in
connection with providing restored facilities in the restorable area.

(i) To employ and dismiss at pleasure consulting engineers, archi-
tects, superintendents or managers, accountants, inspectors and attorneys
and such other employees as may be deemed necessary and to prescribe
their powers and duties and to fix their compensation;

(j) To acquire facilities suitable for the uses of the Commission, and
to improve, operate and maintain restored facilities for the purposes here-
in stated, or to act as trustee for any such facilities or restored facilities
under such terms and conditions as the owner may prescribe and the
Commission shall deem acceptable.

(k) To enter into contracts with the City of Alexandria for the pur-
pose of providing police and fire protection, water, sanitation and other
public services deemed necessary or expedient and said municipality is
authorized to enter into such contracts;

(1) To contract with any agency of the State or federal government
and any firm or corporation or the City of Alexandria, upon such terms
and conditions as the Commission finds to its best interest, with respect
to the establishment, construction, operation, and financing of the restored
facilities of the Commission;

(m) To make and enter into all contracts or agreements, with or
without competitive bidding, as the Commission may determine necessary,
expedient or incidental to the performance of its duties or the execution
of its powers under this act;

(n) To engage in any lawful business or activity deemed by it neces-
sary or useful in the full exercise of its powers to establish, finance, main-
tain, and operate the restored facilities contemplated by this act, including
the renting or leasing for revenue of any property, whether real, personal
or mixed and whether improved or not, directly related to carrying out
the purposes for which the Commission is created;

(o) To fix and collect charges for admission to any of the restored
facilities operated and maintained by the Commission under the provi-
sions of this act and to adopt and enforce reasonable rules and regulations
to govern the conduct of the visiting public;

(p) To borrow money for any of its authorized purposes and for
expenses incidental thereto including expenses incurred;

(q) To expend money for research, study and planning to carry out
the purposes of this act in providing restored facilities in the restoration
area;

(r) To perform all lawful acts necessary, convenient and incident to
effectuating its function and purpose.

. The provisions of this act are severable, and if any of its provisions
shall be held unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, the
decision of such court shall not affect or impair any of the other pro-
visions.

8. All other general or special laws, including the provisions of charters
of cities and towns, inconsistent with any provision of this act are hereby
declared to be inapplicable to the provisions of this act.