Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/WVCODe/Code.cfm?chap=08&art=1
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 05:07:25+00:00

Document:
§8-1-1. Purpose and short title.
§8-1-3. Classification of municipal corporations.
§8-1-5. Existing status of municipalities confirmed; powers, authority, duties and responsibilities conferred by law.
§8-1-5a. Municipal Home Rule Pilot Program.
§8-1-6. Application of provisions of this chapter; inconsistent or conflicting special legislative charter provisions; amendment of special legislative charters; inconsistent or conflicting ordinance provisions; status and tenure of officers and members not affected; transactions already entered into not affected.
§8-1-7. Construction of powers and authority granted.
§8-1-8. References to code provisions.
PART I. PURPOSE AND SHORT TITLE.
The purpose of this chapter is to effect a recodification of the basic municipal law of this state and of various statutory provisions relating to certain intergovernmental relations involving municipalities, counties and other units of government, to provide as much uniformity as possible between the powers, authority, duties and responsibilities of special legislative charter municipalities and all other municipalities, and to give effect to the "Municipal Home Rule Amendment" to the Constitution of this state, being section thirty-nine-(a), article six of said Constitution.
For convenience of reference, this chapter may be known and cited as the "Municipal Code of West Virginia."
(3) "Town or village" is a term of art and shall, notwithstanding the provisions of section ten, article two, chapter two of this code, mean, include and be limited to any Class IV town or village, as classified in section three of this article, heretofore or hereafter incorporated as a municipal corporation under the laws of this state, however created and whether operating under (i) a special legislative charter, (ii) general law, or (iii) a combination of the foregoing.
(18) "Person" shall mean any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association, joint-stock association, or any other entity or organization of whatever character or description.
(c) The term "intergovernmental relations" is used in this chapter to mean undertakings and activities which may be undertaken or engaged in by two or more units of government acting jointly, and in certain headings in this chapter to call attention to the fact that the provisions under such headings apply to units of government in addition to municipalities.
(d) For the purpose of this chapter, unless the context clearly indicates to the contrary, words importing the masculine gender shall include both the masculine and feminine gender, and the phrase "charter framed and adopted or revised as a whole or amended (or words of like import) under the provisions of former chapter eight-a of this code" shall include a charter framed and adopted or revised as a whole or amended under the provisions of former article two of former chapter eight of this code.
(4) Every municipal corporation with a population of two thousand or less shall be a Class IV town or village.
Transition from one to another class shall occur automatically when the requisite population qualification has been met, effective as of the effective date of the census, as specified in section four of this article.
The Legislature hereby declares its interpretation of the said "Municipal Home Rule Amendment" to be that a single classification by population of municipal corporations in this state is required which shall exclude any other classification of municipal corporations by population for any purpose. It is, therefore, the intention of the Legislature that the classification established in this section shall give effect to the Constitutional mandate and shall be the only classification by population applying to municipal corporations in this state. It is the further intention of the Legislature that subsequent legislation affecting municipal corporations in this state shall treat municipal corporations differently upon the basis of population, only in accordance with the general classification established in this section.
For any purpose pertinent to the provisions of this chapter, population shall be determined by reference to the last preceding census taken under the authority of the United States or of the Legislature of West Virginia or by the municipality pursuant to an ordinance adopted thereby, the adoption of any such ordinance being hereby expressly authorized.
The corporate being of every municipality now existing is hereby confirmed and validated. Except as otherwise provided in section six of this article, any municipality shall have all of the powers, authority, duties and responsibilities conferred by law upon a municipality of the class to which it belongs.
(7) Increasing the powers and duties of the Municipal Home Rule Board will enhance the Municipal Home Rule Pilot Program.
(b) Continuance of pilot program. -- The Municipal Home Rule Pilot Program is continued until July 1, 2019. The ordinances enacted by the participating municipalities pursuant to the l Municipal Home Rule Pilot Program may remain in effect, subject to the requirements of this section, until the ordinances are repealed: Provided, That any ordinance enacting a municipal occupation tax is hereby null and void.
(1) Commencing July 1, 2015, thirty Class I, Class II and Class III municipalities and four Class IV municipalities that are current in payment of all state fees may participate in the Municipal Home Rule Pilot Program pursuant to the provisions of this section.
(2) The municipalities participating in the pilot program on the effective date of the amendment and reenactment of this section are hereby authorized to continue in the pilot program, subject to the requirements of this section, and may amend current written plans and/or submit new written plans in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(5) One member representing the West Virginia Chapter of the American Institute of Certified Planners, appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate.
The Chair of the Senate Committee on Government Organization and the Chair of the House Committee on Government Organization shall continue to be ex officio nonvoting members of the board.
(5) Perform any other powers or duties necessary to effectuate the provisions of this section.
(4) A written opinion, by an attorney licensed to practice in West Virginia, stating that the proposed written plan does not violate the provisions of this section.
(4) After the public hearing, adopt an ordinance authorizing the municipality to submit a written plan to the Municipal Home Rule Board after the proposed ordinance has been read two times.
(h) Selection of municipalities. -- On or after June 1, 2015, by a majority vote, the Municipal Home Rule Board may select from the municipalities that submitted written plans and were approved by the board by majority vote, new Class I, Class II, Class III and/or Class IV municipalities to participate in the Municipal Home Rule Pilot Program.
(17) Marriage and divorce laws.
(2) Enacts an occupation tax, fee or assessment payable by a nonresident of a municipality.
(k) Amendments to written plans. -- A municipality participating in the Municipal Home Rule Pilot Program may amend its written plan at any time.
(l) Amendments to ordinances, acts, resolutions, rules or regulations. -- A municipality participating in the Municipal Home Rule Pilot Program may amend any ordinance, act, resolution, rule or regulation enacted pursuant to the municipality's approved written plan at any time so long as any amendment is consistent with the municipality's approved written plan, complies with the provisions of subsections (i) and (j) of this section, and the municipality complies with all applicable state law procedures for enacting municipal legislation.
(m) Reporting requirements. -- Commencing December 1, 2015, and each year thereafter, each participating municipality shall give a progress report to the Municipal Home Rule Board and commencing January 1, 2016, and each year thereafter, the Municipal Home Rule Board shall give a summary report of all the participating municipalities to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.
(n) Termination of the pilot program. -- The Municipal Home Rule Pilot Program terminates on July 1, 2019. An ordinance, act, resolution, rule or regulation enacted by a participating municipality under the provisions of this section during the period of the Municipal Home Rule Pilot Program shall continue in full force and effect until repealed.
(o) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code to the contrary, on and after the effective date of the enactment of this provision in 2015, no distributee under the provisions of this section may seek from the Tax Division of the Department of Revenue a refund of revenues or moneys collected by, or remitted to, the Tax Division of the Department of Revenue, nor seek a change in past amounts distributed, or any other retrospective adjustment relating to any amount distributed, to the extent that the moneys in question have been distributed to another distributee, regardless of whether those distributions were miscalculated, mistaken, erroneous, misdirected or otherwise inaccurate or incorrect. For purposes of this section, the term "distributee" means any municipality that receives or is authorized to receive a specific distribution of revenues or moneys collected by, or remitted to, the Tax Division of the Department of Revenue pursuant to this section.
In furtherance of the purpose of this chapter as set forth in section one of this article, each municipality is subject to the provisions contained in this chapter and may exercise the power and authority conferred by this chapter. In this regard, it is recognized that when the provisions of existing special legislative charters are compared with and are considered in the light of the provisions of this chapter, there are five basic possibilities as to the relationship between such charter provisions and the provisions of this chapter, namely: (1) As to any particular charter provisions, such charter provisions may be inconsistent or in conflict with the pertinent provisions of this chapter; (2) although relating to the same subject matter and although not inconsistent or in conflict with any provisions of this chapter, certain charter provisions may be sufficiently different from pertinent provisions of this chapter as to indicate, as a matter of practical construction, that either the charter provisions or the provisions of this chapter, but not both, should be applicable; (3) although varying in certain respects, certain charter provisions may be similar to and in essential harmony with corresponding provisions of this chapter; (4) as to any particular charter provisions, there may be no counterpart of such provisions in this chapter; and (5) as to any provisions of this chapter, there may be no counterpart charter provisions. In view of these possibilities, it becomes necessary for the Legislature to set forth certain rules of construction to be applied in addition to the usual and ordinary rules of statutory construction, and to set forth a substantive provision as to application in connection with possibility (2).
As to possibility (1), the pertinent provisions of this chapter shall supersede such conflicting or inconsistent charter provisions and shall be deemed amendments to such charters. As to possibility (2), one year from and after the effective date of this section or the effective date of any pertinent amendment to this chapter hereafter adopted, such provisions of this chapter shall supersede such charter provisions and shall be deemed amendments to such charter, unless within such one-year period an ordinance is adopted providing that such charter provisions shall be applicable, in which event such charter provisions shall be applicable so long as said ordinance remains in full force and effect. As to possibility (3), all such charter provisions shall be construed so as to conform to and be consistent with the pertinent provisions of this chapter. As to possibility (4), the charter provisions shall remain in operation and effect until amended or repealed by general law hereafter enacted or until hereafter supplanted by a new charter or revised as a whole or amended in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. As to possibility (5), the applicable provisions of this chapter shall be deemed amendments to such charter. In determining the relationship between such charter provisions and the provisions of this chapter in any situation not included in the possibilities outlined above, the relationship shall be determined in keeping with the general concepts and principles embodied in the rules of construction set forth in this paragraph. The provisions set forth above in this paragraph shall also be applicable to the relationship between the pertinent provisions of various local or special acts of the Legislature (other than special legislative charters) pertaining to municipal matters and the provisions of this chapter.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing provisions of this section, (1) particular provisions of this chapter shall supersede pertinent charter provisions whenever it is expressly provided in this chapter that such provisions of this chapter shall govern notwithstanding any charter provisions, that such charter provisions shall be of no force and effect, that the provisions of this chapter are the only applicable provisions, or that something may be accomplished only as provided in this chapter; and (2) charter provisions shall govern chapter provisions in those instances where this chapter expressly authorizes other or contrary charter provisions.
Any ordinance provision which is inconsistent or in conflict with any provision of this chapter shall be of no force and effect.
All individuals holding any office on the effective date of this chapter, and all officers and members of any commission, board, authority or other entity, by whatever name called, serving on the effective date of this chapter, and who were elected or appointed and qualified under or pursuant to the provisions of former chapter eight or chapter eight-a of this code, any act repealed by this new chapter eight or any charter provision or ordinance provision made or adopted under or pursuant to such former chapters or acts shall continue to serve, unless a vacancy sooner occurs, until their terms expire and until their successors have been elected or appointed, as the case may be, and have qualified.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing provisions or any other provision of this chapter (even though such other provision is stated to be paramount), transactions validly entered into, causes of action which arose, and civil actions instituted, before the effective date of this chapter and the rights, duties, obligations and interest flowing therefrom remain valid, enforceable and maintainable thereafter and may be terminated, completed, consummated, prosecuted, maintained or enforced (1) as required or permitted by any statute or other law (including the provisions of former chapters eight and eight-a of this code and the acts repealed by this chapter) repealed or amended by this chapter as though such repeal or amendment had not occurred, or (2) with like effect as though this chapter had not been enacted.
(a) The enumeration of powers and authority granted in this chapter shall not operate to exclude the exercise of other powers and authority fairly incidental thereto or reasonably implied and within the purposes of this chapter or in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Home Rule Amendment to the Constitution of this state, the powers and authority granted by such Constitution, other provisions of this code and any existing charter. The provisions of this chapter shall be given full effect without regard to the common-law rule of strict construction and particularly when the powers and authority are exercised by charter provisions framed and adopted or adopted by revision of a charter as a whole or adopted by charter amendment under the provisions of this chapter.
(b) Any charter provision framed and adopted or adopted by revision of a charter as a whole or adopted by charter amendment under the provisions of former chapter eight-a of this code or under the provisions of this chapter which is beyond the power and authority of a municipality and any ordinance provision which is beyond the power and authority of a municipality shall be of no force and effect.
Any reference in this chapter to another provision of this code and any reference elsewhere in this code or other law to a provision in this chapter shall be construed to mean the present provision or such provision as the same may be hereafter amended from time to time. Where additional provisions are added to the subject matter of any other provision so referred to, the reference shall include such additional provisions.
Wherever in this code, in any act, in general law, elsewhere in law, in any charter, in any ordinance, resolution or order of a municipality, or in any order, ordinance or resolution of a county court or other unit of government, reference is made to any section, any article, any particular provision or any term of chapter eight of this code as it existed immediately prior to the effective date of this new chapter eight or to any section, any article, any particular provision or any term of former chapter eight-a of this code, such reference shall henceforth be read, construed and understood to mean the comparable section, article, particular provision or term in this new chapter eight.

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