CHAPTER 405
An Act to amend and reenact §8§ 15.1-504 and 15.1-522 of the Code of
Virginia, relating to adoption of ordinances by and powers of boards
of supervisors; exceptions. [S$ 457]

Approved April 1, 1966

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 15.1-504 and 15.1-522 of the Code of Virginia be amended
and reenacted as follows:

§ 15.1-504. Except as otherwise provided by law, ordinances shall
be adopted by the governing body of any county only in the manner pre-
scribed by this section. oo

The object of each such ordinance shall be expressed in its title.

Except as otherwise authorized by law, no such ordinance
passed until after descriptive notice of an intention to propose the same
for passage shall have been published once a week for two successive
weeks prior to its passage in some newspaper published in the county,
and if there be none such, in some newspaper published in an adjoining
county or a nearby city and having a general circulation in the county,
and no such ordinance shall become effective until after it shall have been
published in full, or by its title, and an informative summary of such
ordinance, once a week for two successive weeks in a like newspaper. If
such publication is by title and informative summary the publication shall
include a statement that a copy of the full text of the ordinance is on file
in the clerk’s office of the circuit court of the county.

Except that in any county having a population in excess of two hun-
dred forty thousand inhabitants an ordinance may be adopted by the board
of supervisors under this section after a descriptive notice of intention to
propose the same for passage has been published once a week for two
successive weeks in some newspaper having a general circulation in the
county. After the enactment of such ordinance by the board of supervisors
under the authority hereof, no publication of the same shall be required
and such ordinance shall become effective upon adoption or upon a date
fized by the Board of Supervisors. .

Except as hereinafter provided, emergency ordinances under authority
of this section may be adopted without notice of intention, but no emer-
gency ordinance shall be enforced for more than sixty days unless re-
adopted in conformity with the provisions of this section.

No governing body shall adopt or amend any ordinance imposing a

county capitation tax, county motor vehicle license tax, county license tax
on professions or businesses, including wholesale merchants, or county tax
on amusements, except under the conditions hereinafter set forth, and any
such ordinance adopted without complicance with such conditions shall
be void and of no effect:
_ (a) Any such ordinance may only be introduced at a regular meet-
ing of the governing body and may not be adopted prior to the second
regular meeting following introduction and only then if not less than sixty
days have elapsed between introduction and adoption;

(b) The proposed ordinance shall be published once a week for four
successive weeks in a newspaper published in the county, or if there be
none such, in a newspaper having general circulation in the county; and

(c) The proposed ordinance shall be published at the front door of
the county courthouse and at each post office in the county.

ll laws or ordinances heretofore enacted by a board of supervisors
under authority of this section shall be deemed to have been validly enacted,

some provisions of the Constitution of Virginia or the United States
has been violated in such enactment.
15.1-522. The board of supervisors of counties: |

"1 Adjoining and abutting any city, within or without this State,
having a population of one hundred and twenty-five thousand or more, |

(2) Adjoining any county which adjoins and abuts any such city
and has a density of population of five hundred or more to the square mile,

(3) Having a population of not less than twenty thousand but not
more than thirty-four thousand and adjoining and abutting any city hav-
ing a population of not less than ten thousand and not more than fifteen
thousand, or ; .

(4) Having within their boundaries any United States Marine
Corps Base, are hereby vested with the same powers and authority as the
councils of cities and towns by virtue of the Constitution of the State of
Virginia or the Acts of the General Assembly passed in pursuance thereof;
provided, however, that with the exception of such ordinances as are ex-
pressly authorized under §§ 46.1-180 to 46.1-185 and 46.1-193 no ordinance
shall be enacted under authority of this section regulating the equipment,
operation, lighting or speed of motor propelled vehicles operated on the
public highways of such county, unless the same be uniform with general
laws of this State regulating such equipment, operation, lighting or speed
and with the regulations of the State Highway Commission adopted pur-
suant to such general laws, and provided further that nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed to give such boards of supervisors any power to
control or exercise supervision over signs, signals, marking and traffic
lights on any roads constructed and maintained by the State Highway
Department.

In any county having a population in excess of two hundred forty thou-
sand inhabitants an ordinance may be adopted by the board of supervisors
under this section after a descriptive notice of intention to propose the
same for passage has been published once a week for two successive weeks
tn some newspaper having a general circulation in the county. After the
enactment of such ordinance by the board of supervisors under the authority
hereof, no publication of the same shall be required and such ordinance
shall become effective upon adoption or upon a date fixed by the board of
supervisors.