Source: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/WVCODE/code.cfm?chap=07&art=11B&section=5
Timestamp: 2016-09-28 05:24:35
Document Index: 502718003

Matched Legal Cases: ['§7', '§7', '§7', '§7', '§7', '§7', '§7', '§7', '§7', '§7', '§7', '§7', '§7']

11B - WEST VIRGINIA TAX INCREMENT 7 - 11 B- 1 7 - 11 B- 2 7 - 11 B- 3 7 - 11 B- 3 7 - 11 B- 4 7 - 11 B- 4 7 - 11 B- 5 7 - 11 B- 6 7 - 11 B- 7 7 - 11 B- 8 7 - 11 B- 9 7 - 11 B- 10 7 - 11 B- 11 7 - 11 B- 12 7 - 11 B- 13 7 - 11 B- 14 7 - 11 B- 14 7 - 11 B- 15 7 - 11 B- 16 7 - 11 B- 17h 7 - 11 B- 18 7 - 11 B- 19 7 - 11 B- 20 7 - 11 B- 21 7 - 11 B- 21 7 - 11 B- 22 7 - 11 B- 22 7 - 11 B- 23 7 - 11 B- 24 7 - 11 B- 25 7 - 11 B- 26 7 - 11 B- 27 7 - 11 B- 28 7 - 11 B- 29 7 - 11 B- 30 12 - COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL DEVELOPM
§7-11B-3. Definitions. (a) General. -- When used in this article, words and phrases defined in this section have the meanings ascribed to them in this section unless a different meaning is clearly required either by the context in which the word or phrase is used or by specific definition in this article. (b) Words and phrases defined. -- “Agency” includes a municipality, a county or municipal development agency established pursuant to authority granted in section one, article twelve of this chapter, a port authority, an airport authority or any other entity created by this state or an agency or instrumentality of this state that engages in economic development activity or the Division of Highways. “Base assessed value” means the taxable assessed value of all real and tangible personal property, excluding personal motor vehicles, having a tax situs within a development or redevelopment district as shown upon the landbooks and personal property books of the assessor on July 1 of the calendar year preceding the effective date of the order or ordinance creating and establishing the development or redevelopment district: Provided, That for any development or redevelopment district approved after the effective date of the amendments to this section enacted during the regular session of the Legislature in 2014, personal trailers, personal boats, personal campers, personal motor homes, personal ATVs and personal motorcycles having a tax situs within a development or redevelopment district are excluded from the base assessed value. “Blighted area” means an area within the boundaries of a development or redevelopment district located within the territorial limits of a municipality or county in which the structures, buildings or improvements, by reason of dilapidation, deterioration, age or obsolescence, inadequate provision for access, ventilation, light, air, sanitation, open spaces, high density of population and overcrowding or the existence of conditions which endanger life or property, are detrimental to the public health, safety, morals or welfare. “Blighted area” includes any area which, by reason of the presence of a substantial number of substandard, slum, deteriorated or deteriorating structures, predominance of defective or inadequate street layout, faulty lot layout in relation to size, adequacy, accessibility or usefulness, unsanitary or unsafe conditions, deterioration of site or other improvements, diversity of ownership, defective or unusual conditions of title or the existence of conditions which endanger life or property by fire and other causes, or any combination of such factors, substantially impairs or arrests the sound growth of a municipality, retards the provision of housing accommodations or constitutes an economic or social liability and is a menace to the public health, safety, morals or welfare in its present condition and use, or any area which is predominantly open and which because of lack of accessibility, obsolete platting, diversity of ownership, deterioration of structures or of site improvements, or otherwise, substantially impairs or arrests the sound growth of the community. “Commissioner of Highways” means the Commissioner of the Division of Highways. “Conservation area” means any improved area within the boundaries of a development or redevelopment district located within the territorial limits of a municipality or county in which fifty percent or more of the structures in the area have an age of thirty-five years or more. A conservation area is not yet a blighted area but is detrimental to the public health, safety, morals or welfare and may become a blighted area because of any one or more of the following factors: Dilapidation; obsolescence; deterioration; illegal use of individual structures; presence of structures below minimum code standards; abandonment; excessive vacancies; overcrowding of structures and community facilities; lack of ventilation, light or sanitary facilities; inadequate utilities; excessive land coverage; deleterious land use or layout; depreciation of physical maintenance; and lack of community planning. A conservation area shall meet at least three of the factors provided in this subdivision. “County commission” means the governing body of a county of this state and, for purposes of this article only, includes the governing body of a Class I or II municipality in this state. “Current assessed value” means the annual taxable assessed value of all real and tangible personal property, excluding personal motor vehicles, having a tax situs within a development or redevelopment district as shown upon the landbook and personal property records of the assessor: Provided, That for any development or redevelopment district approved after the effective date of the amendments to this section enacted during the regular session of the Legislature in 2014, personal trailers, personal boats, personal campers, personal motor homes, personal ATVs and personal motorcycles having a tax situs within a development or redevelopment district are excluded from the current assessed value. “Development office” means the West Virginia Development Office created in section one, article two, chapter five-b of this code. “Development project” or “redevelopment project” means a project undertaken in a development or redevelopment district for eliminating or preventing the development or spread of slums or deteriorated, deteriorating or blighted areas, for discouraging the loss of commerce, industry or employment, for increasing employment or for any combination thereof in accordance with a tax increment financing plan. A development or redevelopment project may include one or more of the following: (A) The acquisition of land and improvements, if any, within the development or redevelopment district and clearance of the land so acquired; or (B) The development, redevelopment, revitalization or conservation of the project area whenever necessary to provide land for needed public facilities, public housing or industrial or commercial development or revitalization, to eliminate unhealthful, unsanitary or unsafe conditions, to lessen density, mitigate or eliminate traffic congestion, reduce traffic hazards, eliminate obsolete or other uses detrimental to public welfare or otherwise remove or prevent the spread of blight or deterioration; (C) The financial or other assistance in the relocation of persons and organizations displaced as a result of carrying out the development or redevelopment project and other improvements necessary for carrying out the project plan, together with those site improvements that are necessary for the preparation of any sites and making any land or improvements acquired in the project area available, by sale or lease, for public housing or for development, redevelopment or rehabilitation by private enterprise for commercial or industrial uses in accordance with the plan; (D) The construction of capital improvements within a development or redevelopment district designed to increase or enhance the development of commerce, industry or housing within the development project area; or (E) Any other projects the county commission or the agency deems appropriate to carry out the purposes of this article. “Development or redevelopment district” means an area proposed by one or more agencies as a development or redevelopment district which may include one or more counties, one or more municipalities or any combination thereof, that has been approved by the county commission of each county in which the project area is located if the project is located outside the corporate limits of a municipality, or by the governing body of a municipality if the project area is located within a municipality, or by both the county commission and the governing body of the municipality when the development or redevelopment district is located both within and without a municipality. “Division of Highways” means the state Department of Transportation, Division of Highways. “Economic development area” means any area or portion of an area within the boundaries of a development or redevelopment district located within the territorial limits of a municipality or county that is neither a blighted area nor a conservation area and for which the county commission finds that development or redevelopment will not be solely used for development of commercial businesses that will unfairly compete in the local economy and that development or redevelopment is in the public interest because it will: (A) Discourage commerce, industry or manufacturing from moving their operations to another state; (B) Result in increased employment in the municipality or county, whichever is applicable; or (C) Result in preservation or enhancement of the tax base of the county or municipality. “Governing body of a municipality” means the city council of a Class I or Class II municipality in this state. “Incremental value”, for any development or redevelopment district, means the difference between the base assessed value and the current assessed value. The incremental value will be positive if the current value exceeds the base value and the incremental value will be negative if the current value is less than the base assessed value. “Includes” and “including”, when used in a definition contained in this article, shall not exclude other things otherwise within the meaning of the term being defined. “Intergovernmental agreement” means any written agreement that may be entered into by and between two or more county commissions, or between two or more municipalities, or between a county commission and a municipality, in the singular and the plural, or between two or more government entities and the Commissioner of Highways: Provided, That any intergovernmental agreement shall not be subject to provisions governing intergovernmental agreements set forth in other provisions of this code, including, but not limited to, article twenty-three, chapter eight of this code, but shall be subject to the provisions of this article. “Local levying body” means the county board of education and the county commission and includes the governing body of a municipality when the development or redevelopment district is located, in whole or in part, within the boundaries of the municipality. “Obligations” or “tax increment financing obligations” means bonds, loans, debentures, notes, special certificates or other evidences of indebtedness issued by a county commission or municipality pursuant to this article to carry out a development or redevelopment project or to refund outstanding obligations under this article. “Order” means an order of the county commission adopted in conformity with the provisions of this article and as provided in this chapter. “Ordinance” means a law adopted by the governing body of a municipality in conformity with the provisions of this article and as provided in chapter eight of this code. “Payment in lieu of taxes” means those estimated revenues from real property and tangible personal property having a tax situs in the area selected for a development or redevelopment project which revenues, according to the development or redevelopment project or plan, are to be used for a private use, which levying bodies would have received had a county or municipality not adopted one or more tax increment financing plans and which would result from levies made after the date of adoption of a tax increment financing plan during the time the current assessed value of all taxable real and tangible personal property in the area selected for the development or redevelopment project exceeds the total base assessed value of all taxable real and tangible personal property in the development or redevelopment district until the designation is terminated as provided in this article. “Person” means any natural person, and any corporation, association, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company or other entity, regardless of its form, structure or nature, other than a government agency or instrumentality. “Private project” means any project that is subject to ad valorem property taxation in this state or to a payment in lieu of tax agreement that is undertaken by a project developer in accordance with a tax increment financing plan in a development or redevelopment district. “Project” means any capital improvement, facility or both, as specifically set forth and defined in the project plan, requiring an investment of capital including, but not limited to, extensions, additions or improvements to existing facilities, including water or wastewater facilities, and the remediation of contaminated property as provided for in article twenty-two, chapter twenty-two of this code, but does not include performance of any governmental service by a county or municipal government. “Project area” means an area within the boundaries of a development or redevelopment district in which a development or redevelopment project is undertaken as specifically set forth and defined in the project plan. “Project costs” means expenditures made in preparation of the development or redevelopment project plan and made, or estimated to be made, or monetary obligations incurred, or estimated to be incurred, by the county commission which are listed in the project plan as capital improvements within a development or redevelopment district, plus any costs incidental thereto. “Project costs” include, but are not limited to: (A) Capital costs, including, but not limited to, the actual costs of the construction of public works or improvements, capital improvements and facilities, new buildings, structures and fixtures, the demolition, alteration, remodeling, repair or reconstruction of existing buildings, structures and fixtures, environmental remediation, parking and landscaping, the acquisition of equipment and site clearing, grading and preparation; (B) Financing costs, including, but not limited to, an interest paid to holders of evidences of indebtedness issued to pay for project costs, all costs of issuance and any redemption premiums, credit enhancement or other related costs; (C) Real property assembly costs, meaning any deficit incurred resulting from the sale or lease as lessor by the county commission of real or personal property having a tax situs within a development or redevelopment district for consideration that is less than its cost to the county commission; (D) Professional service costs including, but not limited to, those costs incurred for architectural planning, engineering and legal advice and services; (E) Imputed administrative costs including, but not limited to, reasonable charges for time spent by county employees or municipal employees in connection with the implementation of a project plan; (F) Relocation costs including, but not limited to, those relocation payments made following condemnation and job training and retraining; (G) Organizational costs including, but not limited to, the costs of conducting environmental impact and other studies and the costs of informing the public with respect to the creation of a development or redevelopment district and the implementation of project plans; (H) Payments made, in the discretion of the county commission or the governing body of a municipality, which are found to be necessary or convenient to creation of development or redevelopment districts or the implementation of project plans; and (I) That portion of costs related to the construction of environmental protection devices, storm or sanitary sewer lines, water lines, amenities or streets or the rebuilding or expansion of streets, or the construction, alteration, rebuilding or expansion of which is necessitated by the project plan for a development or redevelopment district, whether or not the construction, alteration, rebuilding or expansion is within the area or on land contiguous thereto. “Project developer” means any person who engages in the development of projects in the state. “Project plan” means the plan for a development or redevelopment project that is adopted by a county commission or governing body of a municipality in conformity with the requirements of this article and this chapter or chapter eight of this code. “Real property” means all lands, including improvements and fixtures on them and property of any nature appurtenant to them or used in connection with them and every estate, interest and right, legal or equitable, in them, including terms of years and liens by way of judgment, mortgage or otherwise, and indebtedness secured by the liens. “Redevelopment area” means an area designated by a county commission or the governing body of a municipality in respect to which the commission or governing body has made a finding that there exist conditions which cause the area to be classified as a blighted area, a conservation area, an economic development area or a combination thereof, which area includes only those parcels of real property directly and substantially benefitted by the proposed redevelopment project located within the development or redevelopment district or land contiguous thereto. “Redevelopment plan” means the comprehensive program under this article of a county or municipality for redevelopment intended by the payment of redevelopment costs to reduce or eliminate those conditions, the existence of which qualified the redevelopment area as a blighted area, conservation area, economic development area or combination thereof, and to thereby enhance the tax bases of the levying bodies which extend into the redevelopment area. Each redevelopment plan shall conform to the requirements of this article. “Tax increment” means the amount of regular levy property taxes attributable to the amount by which the current assessed value of real and tangible personal property having a tax situs in a development or redevelopment district exceeds the base assessed value of the property. “Tax increment financing fund” means a separate fund for a development or redevelopment district established by the county commission or governing body of the municipality into which all tax increment revenues and other pledged revenues are deposited and from which projected project costs, debt service and other expenditures authorized by this article are paid. “This code” means the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended by the Legislature. “Total ad valorem property tax regular levy rate” means the aggregate levy rate of all levying bodies on all taxable property having a tax situs within a development or redevelopment district in a tax year but does not include excess levies, levies for general obligation bonded indebtedness or any other levies that are not regular levies. WVC 7 - 11 B- 3 §7-11B-3. Definitions.
(a) General. -- When used in this article, words and phrases
defined in this section have the meanings ascribed to them in this
section unless a different meaning is clearly required either by
the context in which the word or phrase is used or by specific
definition in this article.
(1) "Agency" includes a municipality, a county or municipal
development agency established pursuant to authority granted in
section one, article twelve of this chapter, a port authority, an
airport authority or any other entity created by this state or an
agency or instrumentality of this state that engages in economic
(2) "Base assessed value" means the taxable assessed value of
all real and tangible personal property, excluding personal motor
vehicles, having a tax situs within a development or redevelopment
district as shown upon the landbooks and personal property books of
the assessor on July 1 of the calendar year preceding the effective
date of the order or ordinance creating and establishing the
development or redevelopment district: Provided, That for any
development or redevelopment district approved after the effective
date of the amendments to this section enacted during the regular
session of the Legislature in 2014, personal trailers, personal
boats, personal campers, personal motor homes, personal ATVs and personal motorcycles having a tax situs within a development or
redevelopment district are excluded from the base assessed value.
(3) "Blighted area" means an area within the boundaries of a
development or redevelopment district located within the
territorial limits of a municipality or county in which the
structures, buildings or improvements, by reason of dilapidation,
access, ventilation, light, air, sanitation, open spaces, high
density of population and overcrowding or the existence of
conditions which endanger life or property, are detrimental to the
public health, safety, morals or welfare. "Blighted area" includes
any area which, by reason of the presence of a substantial number
of substandard, slum, deteriorated or deteriorating structures,
predominance of defective or inadequate street layout, faulty lot
layout in relation to size, adequacy, accessibility or usefulness,
unsanitary or unsafe conditions, deterioration of site or other
improvements, diversity of ownership, defective or unusual
conditions of title or the existence of conditions which endanger
life or property by fire and other causes, or any combination of
such factors, substantially impairs or arrests the sound growth of
a municipality, retards the provision of housing accommodations or
constitutes an economic or social liability and is a menace to the
public health, safety, morals or welfare in its present condition
and use, or any area which is predominantly open and which because of lack of accessibility, obsolete platting, diversity of
ownership, deterioration of structures or of site improvements, or
otherwise, substantially impairs or arrests the sound growth of the
(4) "Conservation area" means any improved area within the
boundaries of a development or redevelopment district located
within the territorial limits of a municipality or county in which
fifty percent or more of the structures in the area have an age of
thirty-five years or more. A conservation area is not yet a
blighted area but is detrimental to the public health, safety,
morals or welfare and may become a blighted area because of any one
or more of the following factors: Dilapidation; obsolescence;
deterioration; illegal use of individual structures; presence of
structures below minimum code standards; abandonment; excessive
vacancies; overcrowding of structures and community facilities;
lack of ventilation, light or sanitary facilities; inadequate
utilities; excessive land coverage; deleterious land use or layout;
depreciation of physical maintenance; and lack of community
planning. A conservation area shall meet at least three of the
factors provided in this subdivision.
(5) "County commission" means the governing body of a county
of this state and, for purposes of this article only, includes the
governing body of a Class I or II municipality in this state.
(6) "Current assessed value" means the annual taxable assessed value of all real and tangible personal property, excluding
personal motor vehicles, having a tax situs within a development or
redevelopment district as shown upon the landbook and personal
property records of the assessor: Provided, That for any
boats, personal campers, personal motor homes, personal ATVs and
personal motorcycles having a tax situs within a development or
redevelopment district are excluded from the current assessed
(7) "Development office" means the West Virginia Development
Office created in section one, article two, chapter five-b of this
(8) "Development project" or "redevelopment project" means a
project undertaken in a development or redevelopment district for
deteriorated, deteriorating or blighted areas, for discouraging the
loss of commerce, industry or employment, for increasing employment
or for any combination thereof in accordance with a tax increment
financing plan. A development or redevelopment project may include
(A) The acquisition of land and improvements, if any, within
the development or redevelopment district and clearance of the land so acquired; or
(B) The development, redevelopment, revitalization or
conservation of the project area whenever necessary to provide land
for needed public facilities, public housing or industrial or
commercial development or revitalization, to eliminate unhealthful,
unsanitary or unsafe conditions, to lessen density, mitigate or
eliminate traffic congestion, reduce traffic hazards, eliminate
obsolete or other uses detrimental to public welfare or otherwise
remove or prevent the spread of blight or deterioration;
(C) The financial or other assistance in the relocation of
persons and organizations displaced as a result of carrying out the
development or redevelopment project and other improvements
necessary for carrying out the project plan, together with those
site improvements that are necessary for the preparation of any
sites and making any land or improvements acquired in the project
area available, by sale or lease, for public housing or for
development, redevelopment or rehabilitation by private enterprise
for commercial or industrial uses in accordance with the plan;
(D) The construction of capital improvements within a
development or redevelopment district designed to increase or
enhance the development of commerce, industry or housing within the
development project area; or
(E) Any other projects the county commission or the agency
deems appropriate to carry out the purposes of this article.
(9) "Development or redevelopment district" means an area
proposed by one or more agencies as a development or redevelopment
district which may include one or more counties, one or more
municipalities or any combination thereof, that has been approved
by the county commission of each county in which the project area
is located if the project is located outside the corporate limits
of a municipality, or by the governing body of a municipality if
the project area is located within a municipality, or by both the
county commission and the governing body of the municipality when
the development or redevelopment district is located both within
and without a municipality.
(10) "Economic development area" means any area or portion of
an area within the boundaries of a development or redevelopment
district located within the territorial limits of a municipality or
county that does not meet the requirements of subdivisions (3) and
(4) of this subsection and for which the county commission finds
that development or redevelopment will not be solely used for
development of commercial businesses that will unfairly compete in
the local economy and that development or redevelopment is in the
public interest because it will:
(A) Discourage commerce, industry or manufacturing from moving
their operations to another state;
(B) Result in increased employment in the municipality or
county, whichever is applicable; or
(C) Result in preservation or enhancement of the tax base of
the county or municipality.
(11) "Governing body of a municipality" means the city council
of a Class I or Class II municipality in this state.
(12) "Incremental value", for any development or redevelopment
district, means the difference between the base assessed value and
the current assessed value. The incremental value will be positive
if the current value exceeds the base value and the incremental
value will be negative if the current value is less than the base
(13) "Includes" and "including", when used in a definition
contained in this article, shall not exclude other things otherwise
within the meaning of the term being defined.
(14) "Local levying body" means the county board of education
and the county commission and includes the governing body of a
municipality when the development or redevelopment district is
located, in whole or in part, within the boundaries of the
(15) "Obligations" or "tax increment financing obligations"
means bonds, loans, debentures, notes, special certificates or
other evidences of indebtedness issued by a county commission or
municipality pursuant to this article to carry out a development or
redevelopment project or to refund outstanding obligations under
(16) "Order" means an order of the county commission adopted
in conformity with the provisions of this article and as provided
(17) "Ordinance" means a law adopted by the governing body of
a municipality in conformity with the provisions of this article
and as provided in chapter eight of this code.
(18) "Payment in lieu of taxes" means those estimated revenues
from real property and tangible personal property having a tax
situs in the area selected for a development or redevelopment
project which revenues, according to the development or
redevelopment project or plan, are to be used for a private use,
which levying bodies would have received had a county or
municipality not adopted one or more tax increment financing plans
and which would result from levies made after the date of adoption
of a tax increment financing plan during the time the current
assessed value of all taxable real and tangible personal property
in the area selected for the development or redevelopment project
exceeds the total base assessed value of all taxable real and
tangible personal property in the development or redevelopment
district until the designation is terminated as provided in this
(19) "Person" means any natural person, and any corporation,
company or other entity, regardless of its form, structure or nature, other than a government agency or instrumentality.
(20) "Private project" means any project that is subject to ad
valorem property taxation in this state or to a payment in lieu of
tax agreement that is undertaken by a project developer in
accordance with a tax increment financing plan in a development or
(21) "Project" means any capital improvement, facility or
both, as specifically set forth and defined in the project plan,
requiring an investment of capital including, but not limited to,
extensions, additions or improvements to existing facilities,
including water or wastewater facilities, and the remediation of
contaminated property as provided for in article twenty-two,
chapter twenty-two of this code, but does not include performance
of any governmental service by a county or municipal government.
(22) "Project area" means an area within the boundaries of a
development or redevelopment district in which a development or
redevelopment project is undertaken as specifically set forth and
defined in the project plan.
(23) "Project costs" means expenditures made in preparation of
the development or redevelopment project plan and made, or
estimated to be made, or monetary obligations incurred, or
estimated to be incurred, by the county commission which are listed
in the project plan as capital improvements within a development or
redevelopment district, plus any costs incidental thereto. "Project costs" include, but are not limited to:
(A) Capital costs, including, but not limited to, the actual
costs of the construction of public works or improvements, capital
improvements and facilities, new buildings, structures and
fixtures, the demolition, alteration, remodeling, repair or
reconstruction of existing buildings, structures and fixtures,
environmental remediation, parking and landscaping, the acquisition
of equipment and site clearing, grading and preparation;
(B) Financing costs, including, but not limited to, an
interest paid to holders of evidences of indebtedness issued to pay
for project costs, all costs of issuance and any redemption
premiums, credit enhancement or other related costs;
(C) Real property assembly costs, meaning any deficit incurred
resulting from the sale or lease as lessor by the county commission
of real or personal property having a tax situs within a
development or redevelopment district for consideration that is
less than its cost to the county commission;
(D) Professional service costs including, but not limited to,
those costs incurred for architectural planning, engineering and
(E) Imputed administrative costs including, but not limited
to, reasonable charges for time spent by county employees or
municipal employees in connection with the implementation of a
(F) Relocation costs including, but not limited to, those
relocation payments made following condemnation and job training
(G) Organizational costs including, but not limited to, the
costs of conducting environmental impact and other studies and the
costs of informing the public with respect to the creation of a
development or redevelopment district and the implementation of
(H) Payments made, in the discretion of the county commission
or the governing body of a municipality, which are found to be
necessary or convenient to creation of development or redevelopment
districts or the implementation of project plans; and
(I) That portion of costs related to the construction of
environmental protection devices, storm or sanitary sewer lines,
water lines, amenities or streets or the rebuilding or expansion of
streets, or the construction, alteration, rebuilding or expansion
of which is necessitated by the project plan for a development or
redevelopment district, whether or not the construction,
alteration, rebuilding or expansion is within the area or on land
(24) "Project developer" means any person who engages in the
development of projects in the state.
(25) "Project plan" means the plan for a development or
redevelopment project that is adopted by a county commission or governing body of a municipality in conformity with the
requirements of this article and this chapter or chapter eight of
(26) "Real property" means all lands, including improvements
and fixtures on them and property of any nature appurtenant to them
or used in connection with them and every estate, interest and
right, legal or equitable, in them, including terms of years and
liens by way of judgment, mortgage or otherwise, and indebtedness
secured by the liens.
(27) "Redevelopment area" means an area designated by a county
commission or the governing body of a municipality in respect to
which the commission or governing body has made a finding that
there exist conditions which cause the area to be classified as a
blighted area, a conservation area, an economic development area or
a combination thereof, which area includes only those parcels of
real property directly and substantially benefitted by the proposed
redevelopment project located within the development or
redevelopment district or land contiguous thereto.
(28) "Redevelopment plan" means the comprehensive program
under this article of a county or municipality for redevelopment
intended by the payment of redevelopment costs to reduce or
eliminate those conditions, the existence of which qualified the
redevelopment area as a blighted area, conservation area, economic
development area or combination thereof, and to thereby enhance the tax bases of the levying bodies which extend into the redevelopment
area. Each redevelopment plan shall conform to the requirements of
(29) "Tax increment" means the amount of regular levy property
taxes attributable to the amount by which the current assessed
value of real and tangible personal property having a tax situs in
a development or redevelopment district exceeds the base assessed
(30) "Tax increment financing fund" means a separate fund for
a development or redevelopment district established by the county
commission or governing body of the municipality into which all tax
increment revenues and other pledged revenues are deposited and
from which projected project costs, debt service and other
expenditures authorized by this article are paid.
(31) "This code" means the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as
amended by the Legislature.
(32) "Total ad valorem property tax regular levy rate" means
the aggregate levy rate of all levying bodies on all taxable
property having a tax situs within a development or redevelopment
district in a tax year but does not include excess levies, levies
for general obligation bonded indebtedness or any other levies that
are not regular levies.
§7-11B-4. Powers generally. In addition to any other powers conferred by law, a county commission or governing body of a Class I or II municipality may exercise any powers necessary and convenient to carry out the purpose of this article, including the power to: (1) Create development and redevelopment areas or districts and to define the boundaries of those areas or districts; (2) Cause project plans to be prepared, to approve the project plans, and to implement the provisions and effectuate the purposes of the project plans; (3) Establish tax increment financing funds for each development or redevelopment district; (4) Issue tax increment financing obligations and pledge tax increments and other revenues for repayment of the obligations; (5) Deposit moneys into the tax increment financing fund for any development or redevelopment district; (6) Enter into any contracts or agreements, including, but not limited to, agreements with project developers, consultants, professionals, financing institutions, trustees and bondholders determined by the county commission to be necessary or convenient to implement the provisions and effectuate the purposes of project plans; (7) Receive from the federal government or the state loans and grants for, or in aid of, a development or redevelopment project and to receive contributions from any other source to defray project costs; (8) Exercise the right of eminent domain to condemn property for the purposes of implementing the project plan. The rules and procedures set forth in chapter fifty-four of this code shall govern all condemnation proceedings authorized in this article; (9) Make relocation payments to those persons, businesses, or organizations that are displaced as a result of carrying out the development or redevelopment project; (10) Clear and improve property acquired by the county commission pursuant to the project plan and construct public facilities on it or contract for the construction, development, redevelopment, rehabilitation, remodeling, alteration or repair of the property; (11) Cause parks, playgrounds or water, sewer or drainage facilities or any other public improvements, including, but not limited to, fire stations, community centers and other public buildings, which the county commission is otherwise authorized to undertake to be laid out, constructed or furnished in connection with the development or redevelopment project. When the public improvement of the county commission is to be located, in whole or in part, within the corporate limits of a municipality, the county commission shall consult with the mayor and the governing body of the municipality regarding the public improvement and shall pay for the cost of the public improvement from the tax increment financing fund; (12) Lay out and construct, alter, relocate, change the grade of, make specific repairs upon or discontinue public ways and construct sidewalks in, or adjacent to, the project area: Provided, That when the public way or sidewalk is located within a municipality, the governing body of the municipality shall consent to the same and if the public way is a state road, the consent of the commissioner of highways shall be necessary; (13) Cause private ways, sidewalks, ways for vehicular travel, playgrounds or water, sewer or drainage facilities and similar improvements to be constructed within the project area for the particular use of the development or redevelopment district or those dwelling or working in it; (14) Construct, or cause to be constructed, any capital improvements of a public nature; (15) Construct capital improvements to be leased or sold to private entities in connection with the goals of the development or redevelopment project; (16) Cause capital improvements owned by one or more private entities to be constructed within the development or redevelopment district; (17) Designate one or more official or employee of the county commission to make decisions and handle the affairs of development and redevelopment project areas or districts created by the county commission pursuant to this article; (18) Adopt orders, ordinances or bylaws or repeal or modify such ordinances or bylaws or establish exceptions to existing ordinances and bylaws regulating the design, construction and use of buildings within the development or redevelopment district created by a county commission or governing body of a municipality under this article; (19) Enter orders, adopt bylaws or repeal or modify such orders or bylaws or establish exceptions to existing orders and bylaws regulating the design, construction and use of buildings within the development or redevelopment district created by a county commission or governing body of a municipality under this article; (20) Sell, mortgage, lease, transfer or dispose of any property or interest therein, by contract or auction, acquired by it pursuant to the project plan for development, redevelopment or rehabilitation in accordance with the project plan; (21) Expend project revenues as provided in this article; (22) Enter into one or more intergovernmental agreements or memorandums of understanding with the Commissioner of Highways or with other county commissions or municipalities regarding development or redevelopment districts; (23) Designate one or more officials or employees of the county commission or municipality that created the development or redevelopment district to sign documents, to make decisions and handle the affairs of the development or redevelopment district. When two or more county commissions, or municipalities, or any combination thereof, established the development or redevelopment district, the government entities shall enter into one or more intergovernmental agreements regarding administration of the development or redevelopment district and the handling of its affairs; and (24) Do all things necessary or convenient to carry out the powers granted in this article. WVC 7 - 11 B- 4 §7-11B-4. Powers generally.
In addition to any other powers conferred by law, a county
commission or governing body of a Class I or II municipality may
exercise any powers necessary and convenient to carry out the
purpose of this article, including the power to:
(1) Create development and redevelopment areas or districts
and to define the boundaries of those areas or districts;
(2) Cause project plans to be prepared, to approve the project
plans, and to implement the provisions and effectuate the purposes
of the project plans;
(3) Establish tax increment financing funds for each
(4) Issue tax increment financing obligations and pledge tax
increments and other revenues for repayment of the obligations;
(5) Deposit moneys into the tax increment financing fund for
any development or redevelopment district;
(6) Enter into any contracts or agreements, including, but not
limited to, agreements with project developers, consultants,
professionals, financing institutions, trustees and bondholders
determined by the county commission to be necessary or convenient
to implement the provisions and effectuate the purposes of project
(7) Receive from the federal government or the state loans and
grants for, or in aid of, a development or redevelopment project
and to receive contributions from any other source to defray project costs;
(8) Exercise the right of eminent domain to condemn property
for the purposes of implementing the project plan. The rules and
procedures set forth in chapter fifty-four of this code shall
govern all condemnation proceedings authorized in this article;
(9) Make relocation payments to those persons, businesses, or
organizations that are displaced as a result of carrying out the
development or redevelopment project;
(10) Clear and improve property acquired by the county
commission pursuant to the project plan and construct public
facilities on it or contract for the construction, development,
redevelopment, rehabilitation, remodeling, alteration or repair of
(11) Cause parks, playgrounds or water, sewer or drainage
facilities or any other public improvements, including, but not
limited to, fire stations, community centers and other public
buildings, which the county commission is otherwise authorized to
undertake to be laid out, constructed or furnished in connection
with the development or redevelopment project. When the public
improvement of the county commission is to be located, in whole or
in part, within the corporate limits of a municipality, the county
commission shall consult with the mayor and the governing body of
the municipality regarding the public improvement and shall pay for
the cost of the public improvement from the tax increment financing
(12) Lay out and construct, alter, relocate, change the grade
of, make specific repairs upon or discontinue public ways and
construct sidewalks in, or adjacent to, the project area: Provided, That when the public way or sidewalk is located within a
municipality, the governing body of the municipality shall consent
to the same and if the public way is a state road, the consent of
the commissioner of highways shall be necessary;
(13) Cause private ways, sidewalks, ways for vehicular travel,
playgrounds or water, sewer or drainage facilities and similar
improvements to be constructed within the project area for the
particular use of the development or redevelopment district or
those dwelling or working in it;
(15) Construct capital improvements to be leased or sold to
private entities in connection with the goals of the development or
redevelopment project;
(16) Cause capital improvements owned by one or more private
entities to be constructed within the development or redevelopment
(17) Designate one or more official or employee of the county
commission to make decisions and handle the affairs of development
and redevelopment project areas or districts created by the county
commission pursuant to this article;
(18) Adopt orders, ordinances or bylaws or repeal or modify
such ordinances or bylaws or establish exceptions to existing ordinances and bylaws regulating the design, construction and use
of buildings within the development or redevelopment district
created by a county commission or governing body of a municipality
(19) Enter orders, adopt bylaws or repeal or modify such
orders or bylaws or establish exceptions to existing orders and
bylaws regulating the design, construction and use of buildings
within the development or redevelopment district created by a
county commission or governing body of a municipality under this
(20) Sell, mortgage, lease, transfer or dispose of any
property or interest therein, by contract or auction, acquired by
it pursuant to the project plan for development, redevelopment or
rehabilitation in accordance with the project plan;
(21) Expend project revenues as provided in this article; and
(22) Do all things necessary or convenient to carry out the
powers granted in this article.
WVC 7 - 11 B- 5 §7-11B-5. Powers supplemental.
§7-11B-14. Projects financed by tax increment financing considered to be public improvements subject to prevailing wage, local labor preference and competitive bid requirements. (a) Any project acquired, constructed, or financed, in whole or in part, by a county commission or municipality under this article shall be considered to be a "public improvement" within the meaning of the provisions of articles one-c, chapter twenty-one of this code. (b) The county commission or municipality shall, except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, solicit or require solicitation of competitive bids and require compliance with article one-c, chapter twenty-one of this code for every project or infrastructure project funded pursuant to this article exceeding $25,000 in total cost: Provided, That the provisions of article two-d, chapter seventeen of this code may apply where applicable to projects subject to an intergovernmental agreement with the Commissioner of Highways. (c) Following the solicitation of the bids, the construction contract shall be awarded to the lowest qualified responsible bidder, who shall furnish a sufficient performance and payment bond: Provided, That the county commission, municipality or other person soliciting the bids may reject all bids and solicit new bids on the project. (d) No officer or employee of this state or of any public agency, public authority, public corporation, or other public entity, and no person acting or purporting to act on behalf of such officer or employee or public entity shall require that any performance bond, payment bond, or bid bond required or permitted by this section be obtained from any particular surety company, agent, broker or producer. (e) This section does not: (1) Apply to work performed on construction projects not exceeding a total cost of $50,000 by regular full-time employees of the county commission or the municipality: Provided, That no more than $50,000 shall be expended on an individual project in a single location in a twelve-month period; (2) Prevent students enrolled in vocational educational schools from being used in construction or repair projects when such use is a part of the students' training program; (3) Apply to emergency repairs to building components and systems: Provided, That the term "emergency repairs" means repairs that, if not made immediately, will seriously impair the use of the building components and systems or cause danger to those persons using the building components and systems; or (4) Apply to any situation where the county commission or municipality comes to an agreement with volunteers, or a volunteer group, by which the governmental body will provide construction or repair materials, architectural, engineering, technical or any other professional services and the volunteers will provide the necessary labor without charge to, or liability upon, the governmental body: Provided, That the total cost of the construction or repair projects does not exceed $50,000. (f) The provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section apply to any specific project, whether privately or publicly owned or constructed on private or public lands, that are financed or to be financed, in whole or in part, with tax increment or proceeds of tax increment financing obligations: Provided, That, the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section do not apply to any project or part of a project that is privately owned and financed without any tax increment or proceeds of tax increment financing obligations. WVC 7 - 11 B- 14 §7-11B-14. Projects financed by tax increment financing considered to be public improvements subject to
prevailing wage, local labor preference and
(a) Any project acquired, constructed, or financed, in whole
or in part, by a county commission or municipality under this
article shall be considered to be a "public improvement" within the
meaning of the provisions of articles one-c and five-a, chapter
twenty-one of this code.
(b) The county commission or municipality shall, except as
provided in subsection (c) of this section, solicit or require
solicitation of competitive bids and require the payment of
prevailing wage rates as provided in article five-a, chapter
twenty-one of this code and compliance with article one-c of said
chapter for every project or infrastructure project funded pursuant
to this article exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars in total
(c) Following the solicitation of the bids, the construction
bond: Provided, That the county commission, municipality or other
person soliciting the bids may reject all bids and solicit new bids
(d) No officer or employee of this state or of any public
agency, public authority, public corporation, or other public entity, and no person acting or purporting to act on behalf of such
officer or employee or public entity shall require that any
performance bond, payment bond, or bid bond required or permitted
by this section be obtained from any particular surety company,
agent, broker or producer.
(1) Apply to work performed on construction projects not
exceeding a total cost of fifty thousand dollars by regular
full-time employees of the county commission or the municipality:
Provided, That no more than fifty thousand dollars shall be
expended on an individual project in a single location in a
schools from being used in construction or repair projects when
(4) Apply to any situation where the county commission or
municipality comes to an agreement with volunteers, or a volunteer
other professional services and the volunteers will provide the necessary labor without charge to, or liability upon, the
(f) The provisions of subsection (b) of this section apply to
privately owned projects or infrastructure projects constructed on
lands not owned by the county commission, a municipality or a
government agency or instrumentality when the owner or the owner's
agent or person financing the owner's project receives money from
the tax increment financing fund for the owner's project.
WVC 7 - 11 B- 15 §7-11B-15. Reports by county commissions and municipalities,
§7-11B-21. Tax increment financing obligations -- authorizing order or ordinance. (a) Issuance of tax increment financing obligations shall be authorized by order of the county commission, or ordinance of the municipality, that created the development or redevelopment district. (b) The order, or ordinance, shall state the name of the development or redevelopment district, the amount of tax increment financing obligations authorized, the type of obligation authorized and the interest rate or rates to be borne by the bonds, notes or other tax increment financing obligations. (c) The order or ordinance may prescribe the terms, form and content of the tax increment financing obligations and other particulars or information the county commission, or governing body of the municipality, issuing the obligations deems useful or it may include by reference the terms and conditions set forth in a trust indenture or other document securing the development or redevelopment project tax increment financing obligations. WVC 7 - 11 B- 21 §7-11B-21. Tax increment financing obligations -- authorizing
(a) Issuance of tax increment financing obligations shall be
authorized by order of the county commission, or resolution of the
municipality, that created the development or redevelopment
(b) The order, or resolution, shall state the name of the
development or redevelopment district, the amount of tax increment
financing obligations authorized, the type of obligation authorized
and the interest rate or rates to be borne by the bonds, notes or
other tax increment financing obligations.
(c) The order or ordinance may prescribe the terms, form and
content of the tax increment financing obligations and other
particulars or information the county commission, or governing body
of the municipality, issuing the obligations deems useful or it may
include by reference the terms and conditions set forth in a trust
indenture or other document securing the development or
redevelopment project tax increment financing obligations.
§7-11B-22. Tax increment financing obligations -- terms, conditions. (a) Tax increment financing obligations may not be issued in an amount exceeding the estimated aggregate project costs, including all costs of issuance of the tax increment financing obligations. (b) Tax increment financing obligations shall not be included in the computation of the Constitutional debt limitation of the county commission or municipality issuing the tax increment financing obligations. (c) Tax increment financing obligations shall mature over a period not exceeding thirty years from the date of entry of the county commission's order, or the effective date of the municipal ordinance, creating the development or redevelopment district and approving the development or redevelopment plan, or a period terminating with the date of termination of the development or redevelopment district, whichever period terminates earlier. (d) Tax increment financing obligations may contain a provision authorizing their redemption, in whole or in part, at stipulated prices, at the option of the county commission or municipality issuing the obligations, and, if so, the obligations shall provide the method of selecting the tax increment financing obligations to be redeemed. (e) The principal and interest on tax increment financing obligations may be payable at any place set forth in the resolution, trust indenture or other document governing the obligations. (f) Bonds or notes shall be issued in registered form. (g) Bonds or notes may be issued in any denomination. (h) Each tax increment financing obligation issued under this article is declared to be a negotiable instrument. (i) The tax increment financing obligations may be sold at public or private sale. (j) Insofar as they are consistent with subsections (a), (b) and (c) of this section, the procedures for issuance, form, contents, execution, negotiation and registration of county and municipal industrial or commercial revenue bonds set forth in article two-c, chapter thirteen of this code are incorporated by reference herein. (k) The bonds may be refunded or refinanced and refunding bonds may be issued in any principal amount: Provided, That the last maturity of the refunding bonds shall not be later than the last maturity of the bonds being refunded. WVC 7 - 11 B- 22 §7-11B-22. Tax increment financing obligations -- terms,
(a) Tax increment financing obligations may not be issued in
an amount exceeding the estimated aggregate project costs,
including all costs of issuance of the tax increment financing
(b) Tax increment financing obligations shall not be included
in the computation of the constitutional debt limitation of the
county commission or municipality issuing the tax increment
(c) Tax increment financing obligations shall mature over a
period not exceeding thirty years from the date of entry of the
county commission's order, or the effective date of the municipal
ordinance, creating the development or redevelopment district and
approving the development or redevelopment plan, or a period
terminating with the date of termination of the development or
redevelopment district, whichever period terminates earlier.
(d) Tax increment financing obligations may contain a
provision authorizing their redemption, in whole or in part, at
stipulated prices, at the option of the county commission or
municipality issuing the obligations, and, if so, the obligations
shall provide the method of selecting the tax increment financing
obligations to be redeemed.
(e) The principal and interest on tax increment financing
obligations may be payable at any place set forth in the resolution, trust indenture or other document governing the
(h) Each tax increment financing obligation issued under this
article is declared to be a negotiable instrument.
(i) The tax increment financing obligations may be sold at
(j) Insofar as they are consistent with subsections (a), (b)
and (c) of this section, the procedures for issuance, form,
contents, execution, negotiation and registration of county and
municipal industrial or commercial revenue bonds set forth in
article two-c, chapter thirteen of this code are incorporated by
(k) The bonds may be refunded or refinanced and refunding
bonds may be issued in any principal amount: Provided, That the
last maturity of the refunding bonds shall not be later than the
last maturity of the bonds being refunded.
WVC 7 - 11 B- 23 §7-11B-23. Tax increment financing obligations -- security --