CHAPTER 602

An Act to create the Roanoke Metropolitan Area Study Commission; to
provide for its composition, organization and functioning and
tt shall be financed; to require it to consider certain matters and to
report thereon; and to provide for a referendum on certain questions.

{H 529)
Approved April 5, 1966

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. § 1. There is hereby created the Roanoke Metropolitan Area Study
Commission.

§ 2. The Commission shall consist of eleven members, who shall be
chosen in the following manner:
(a) Three members appointed by the Roanoke city council.

(b) One member appointed by the Salem town council.

(c) One member appointed by the Vinton town council.

(d) Two members appointed by the Roanoke County board of super-

rs.

(e) Four members to be chosen by a majority vote of the seven mem-
bers provided under subsections (a), (b), (c) and (d). Two of these four
members shall have residence in the county of Roanoke and two in the city
of Roanoke. If the seven members chosen under such subsections cannot
agree on the four additional members of the Commission, this fact shall
be reported to the judge of the Circuit Court of the county of Roanoke who
shall appoint four persons who are residents as aforesaid to complete the
membership of the Commission.

(f) Seven of the members of the Commission shall be chosen from
the membership of the governing bodies of the city or Roanoke, the towns
of Salem and Vinton and the county of Roanoke.

(g) Vacancies in the membership of the Commission shall be filled
by the original appointing authority.

§ 3. (a) On or before October one, nineteen hundred sixty-six, the
Commission shall meet for the purpose of organization. The Commission
shall elect from among its members a Chairman and such other officers
as it may deem necessary; may adopt such rules and regulations not in-
consistent with this act as it may deem necessary for the proper discharge
of its duties; and may establish such committees as the work of the Com-
mission may require.

(b) The Commission shall have the power to employ technically
trained and clerical personnel to assist it or to contract with persons, firms
or corporations for special and technical services or studies.

(c) As soon as possible after its organization, the Commission shall
estimate the funds which will be necessary for it to carry out its functions,
and shall request appropriations from the several governing bodies on a
pro rata basis and any appropriation by any governing body may be con-
ditioned on the appropriation by the others of their pro rata share. The
Commission is also authorized to accept gifts from persons, firms and
corporations if such gifts are made available to the Commission to be used
in its absolute discretion for the purposes of this act.

(d) The city of Roanoke, the town of Salem, the town of Vinton and
the county of Roanoke may make available to the Commission any infor-
mation requested by the Commission, and they are hereby authorized to
assist the Commission through gifts of necessary supplies and equipment,
and temporary loans of personnel.

(e) The Commission shall select one of its members as treasurer with
authority to collect, deposit, and disburse funds made available to the Com-
mission from any source whatsoever. The treasurer of the Commission
shall, before entering upon his duties, post a surety bond conditioned upon
the faithful discharge of his duties in an amount and form fixed by the
Commission. All moneys received for the Commission shall be deposited
In @ separate bank account, shall be earmarked for the use of the Com-
mission, and shall be paid out on warrants signed by the treasurer and
countersigned by the chairman of the Commission.

(f{) The Commission is authorized to contract for an accept financial
and other assistance from the federal government to carry out its functions
under this act, and is authorized to undertake all activities for which
federal assistance is available, particularly such activities to which priority
1s required to be given under federal law.

__. (g) The Commission is authorized to expand its membership to
include members of the governing bodies of any adjoining county, the

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mental operations of the city, the towns and the county, and as a result
of their study shall from time to time, no less often than annually, submit
to the respective governing bodies thereof a report setting forth its find-
ings and recommendations. The Commission shall determine whether more
efficient government would result from the performance of one or more
specified functions by one or more governmental units; what functions,
if any, could best be combined to promote the health, safety and welfare
of the people of the metropolitan area and provide the most effective
coordination of its growth and development, and whether the same could
be best accomplished by agreement or contract between one or more of
the several units, by the creation of an agency or agencies supported jointly
by one or more of the several units with power to perform such functions,
or by other means. The Commission shall recommend to the several gov-
erning bodies any changes in the statute, charter or constitutional law
of the Commonwealth it may consider necessary to execution thereof. The
Commission may also make studies and prepare plans and programs
relating to all the developmental aspects of the total metropolitan area
including, but not limited to, land use, transportation, housing, economic
development, natural resources, development, community facilities and the
general improvement of living environments, provided, that nothing herein
shall be construed to mean that the powers of any planning commission
shall be diminished.

§ 5. If the respective governing bodies of the city, the towns and

county deem it desirable to ascertain the sentiment of the qualified voters
of the metropolitan area as to any plan recommended by the Commission,
they may by agreement call for an advisory referendum on the adoption
of such plan. Such referendum shall be held at a general election, and
the procedure shall conform, mutatis mutandis, to § 24-141 of the Code
of Virginia; but the results of such election shall not be binding on the
respective governing bodies. .
2. The Commission shall become active upon the adoption by the respec-
tive governing bodies of the city of Roanoke, the town of Salem, the town
of Vinton and the county of Roanoke, of resolutions stating the necessity
for and desirability of the activation of the Commission.