reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
10 V.S.A. § 711
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 10 - Conservation and Development|Chapter 31 - Soil Conservation Act|§ 711. Determination of need; boundaries of proposed district

§ 711. Determination of need; boundaries of proposed district|(a) After hearing thereon, if the Council shall determine that there is need, in the interest of the public health, safety, and welfare for a district, it shall make and record such determination, and shall define the boundaries of such districts by metes and bounds.(b) In making such determination and in defining such boundaries, the Council shall give due weight and consideration to the topography of the area considered and of the State, the composition of soils therein, the distribution of erosion, the prevailing land-use practices, the desirability and necessity of including within the boundaries the particular lands under consideration and the benefits such lands may receive from being included within such boundaries, the relation of the proposed area to existing watersheds and agricultural regions, and to other natural resources conservation districts already organized or proposed for organization under the provisions of this chapter, and such other physical, geographical, and economic factors as are relevant. The territory to be included within such boundaries need not be contiguous.(c) If the Council shall determine after such hearing that there is no need for a natural resources conservation district to function in the territory considered at the hearing, it shall make and record such determination and shall deny the petition. After six months shall have expired from the date of the denial of any such petition, subsequent petitions covering the same or substantially the same territory may be filed and new hearings held and determinations made thereon. (Amended 1959, No. 329 (Adj. Sess.), § 11(c), eff. March 1, 1961; 1963, No. 79, § 1(b), eff. May 7, 1963; 1967, No. 303 (Adj. Sess.), § 15(b), eff. March 22, 1968.)
10 V.S.A. § 712
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 10 - Conservation and Development|Chapter 31 - Soil Conservation Act|§ 712. Referendum

§ 712. Referendum|(a) If after the Council has found and recorded a determination that there is need, in the interest of the public health, safety and welfare, for the organization of a district in a particular territory and has defined the boundaries thereof, it shall hold a referendum within the proposed district upon the question of the creation of the district. Due notice of the proposed district meeting shall be given for a vote upon the following question:    Shall a natural resources conservation district of the lands below described and lying in the county (counties) of  .................... and .................... be created?  The vote shall be by ballot in the following form:  Shall a natural resources conservation district of the lands below described and lying in the county (counties) of  .................... and .................... be created?    YES [  ]                                               NO [  ]        (b) The ballot shall set forth the boundaries of such proposed district as determined by the committee. All owners of lands lying within the boundaries of the territory, as determined by the State Natural Resources Conservation Council, shall be eligible to vote in such referendum. In writing signed by him, a landowner may designate a person to vote for him at any meeting herein authorized and such designated person shall file such written authority with the Council before voting. The Council shall pay all expenses for the issuance  of such notices and the conduct of such hearings, and shall supervise the conduct of such hearings.  (Amended 1959, No. 329 (Adj. Sess.), § 11(c), eff. March 1, 1961; 1963, No. 79, § 1(b), eff. May 7, 1963; 1967, No. 303 (Adj. Sess.), §§ 15(b), 16(b), eff. March 22, 1968.)
10 V.S.A. § 713
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 10 - Conservation and Development|Chapter 31 - Soil Conservation Act|§ 713. Publication of results of referendum; determination of feasibility

§ 713. Publication of results of referendum; determination of feasibility|The Council shall publish the result of such referendum and, if a majority of the votes cast at the referendum is for the establishment of a district, and the Council determines that the operation of such district is administratively practicable and feasible, it shall record in its minutes such determination and shall proceed with the organization of the district. In making such determination, the Council shall give due regard to the attitudes of the owners of lands lying within the defined boundaries, and the proportion of the votes cast in such referendum in favor of the creation of the district, the probable expense of carrying on erosion-control operations within such district, and such other economic and social factors as may be relevant to such determination. (Amended 1959, No. 329 (Adj. Sess.), § 11(c), eff. March 1, 1961.)
10 V.S.A. § 714
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 10 - Conservation and Development|Chapter 31 - Soil Conservation Act|§ 714. Appointment and election of supervisors; application for creation of district

§ 714. Appointment and election of supervisors; application for creation of district|(a) When a district is established, the Council shall appoint two supervisors to act, with three supervisors elected by the landowners as the governing body of the district.(b) The two appointed supervisors shall present to the Secretary of State an application signed by them, which shall set forth that a petition for the creation of the district was filed with the State Natural Resources Conservation Council pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, and that the proceedings specified in this chapter were taken pursuant to such petition; that the application is being filed in order to complete the organization of the district as a public body, corporate and politic, under this chapter; and that the application shall be subscribed to by each of the supervisors.(c) The application shall be accompanied by a statement by the State Natural Resources Conservation Council that a petition was filed; that due notice was given and a referendum held on the question of the creation of such district; that a majority of the votes cast in such referendum were in favor of the creation of the district; that thereafter the Council did duly determine that the operation of the proposed district is administratively practicable and feasible. Such statement shall set forth the boundaries of the district as they have been defined by the Council.(d) The term of office of an appointed supervisor shall end when his or her elected successor qualifies. (Amended 1959, No. 329 (Adj. Sess.), § 11(c), eff. March 1, 1961; 1967, No. 303 (Adj. Sess.), §§ 8, 16(b), eff. March 22, 1968.)
10 V.S.A. § 715
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 10 - Conservation and Development|Chapter 31 - Soil Conservation Act|§ 715. Establishment of district as governmental subdivision; certificate

§ 715. Establishment of district as governmental subdivision; certificate|The Secretary of State shall file and record the application and statement in an appropriate book of record in his or her office. When the application and statement have been filed and recorded, the district shall constitute a governmental subdivision of this State and a public body corporate and politic, for the purposes set forth in this chapter. Without cost, the Secretary of State shall make and issue to the supervisors a certificate, under the seal of the State, of the due organization of the district, and shall record a copy of such certificate with the application and statement.
10 V.S.A. § 716
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 10 - Conservation and Development|Chapter 31 - Soil Conservation Act|§ 716. Subsequent petition may be filed; when

§ 716. Subsequent petition may be filed; when|After six months shall have expired from the date of entry of a determination by the council that the operation of a proposed district is not administratively practicable and feasible, and denial of a petition pursuant to such determination, subsequent petitions may be filed and action taken thereon in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. (Amended 1959, No. 329 (Adj. Sess.), § 11(c), eff. March 1, 1961.)
10 V.S.A. § 717
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 10 - Conservation and Development|Chapter 31 - Soil Conservation Act|§ 717. Additional territory; petition to include

§ 717. Additional territory; petition to include|Petitions for including additional territory within an existing district may be filed with the Council, and the proceedings herein provided for in the case of petitions to organize a district shall be observed in the case of petitions for such inclusion. The Council shall prescribe the form for such petition. In referendum upon petitions for such inclusion, all owners of land lying within the proposed additional area shall be eligible to vote. (Amended 1959, No. 329 (Adj. Sess.), § 11(c), eff. March 1, 1961.)
10 V.S.A. § 718
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 10 - Conservation and Development|Chapter 31 - Soil Conservation Act|§ 718. Certificate as proof of validity of district

§ 718. Certificate as proof of validity of district|In any suit, action or proceeding involving the validity or enforcement of, or relating to any contract, proceeding or action of the district, the district shall be deemed to have been established in accordance with the provisions of this chapter upon proof of the issuance of the certificate by the Secretary of State.
10 V.S.A. § 719
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 10 - Conservation and Development|Chapter 31 - Soil Conservation Act|§ 719. Elections

§ 719. Elections|After the issuance of a certificate by the Secretary of State certifying to the organization of a natural resources conservation district, nominating petitions shall be filed with the districts and shall be submitted to the Council once the nominee is approved by the districts as defined in section 720 of this title, who shall be qualified voters as hereinafter specified. No such nominating petition shall be accepted unless it shall be subscribed to by 25 or more owners of land lying within the boundaries of the district. Landowners may sign more than one nominating petition to nominate more than one candidate for supervisor. The names of all nominees shall appear, arranged in the alphabetical order of the surnames, upon ballots with a square before each name and a direction to insert an X mark in the square before one name to indicate the voter's choice. Only landowners shall be eligible to vote. The candidates who shall receive the largest number of the votes cast in the election shall be the elected supervisors for the districts. The Council shall pay all the expenses, supervise, prescribe rules, determine eligibility of voters, and publish the results of all elections. (Amended 1959, No. 329 (Adj. Sess.), § 11(c), eff. March 1, 1961; 1963, No. 79, § 1(b), eff. May 7, 1963; 1967, No. 303 (Adj. Sess.), § 9, eff. March 22, 1968; 1995, No. 163 (Adj. Sess.), § 5, eff. May 15, 1996; 2019, No. 14, § 16, eff. April 30, 2019.)
10 V.S.A. § 720
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 10 - Conservation and Development|Chapter 31 - Soil Conservation Act|§ 720. Supervisors as governing body of district; qualifications

§ 720. Supervisors as governing body of district; qualifications|The governing body of the district shall consist of five supervisors, elected or appointed under this chapter. The supervisors shall be persons residing within the district who are by training or experience, or both, as determined by the district qualified to perform the services which will be required of them, and shall not be employees of the federal government. Advisory supervisors may be appointed to a district board by a majority vote of the supervisors of that district. Term of office shall be designated at the time of appointment, and they shall serve without compensation. (Amended 1959, No. 329 (Adj. Sess.), § 11(c), eff. March 1, 1961; 1967, No. 303 (Adj. Sess.), § 10, eff. March 22, 1968; 1995, No. 163 (Adj. Sess.), § 6, eff. May 15, 1996.)
10 V.S.A. § 721
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 10 - Conservation and Development|Chapter 31 - Soil Conservation Act|§ 721. Terms, vacancies, compensation

§ 721. Terms, vacancies, compensation|The supervisors shall designate a chair and, from time to time, may change the designation. One supervisor shall be elected each year for a term of five years. A supervisor shall continue to hold office until a successor has been elected or appointed and has qualified. Vacancies resulting from any cause shall be filled by appointment for the unexpired terms by the remaining supervisors. A majority of the supervisors shall constitute a quorum. A supervisor shall be entitled to receive compensation for services at a rate not to exceed the per diem rate as defined by 32 V.S.A. § 1010(b). A supervisor shall also be entitled to expenses, including traveling expenses, necessarily incurred in the discharge of duties, from such district funds as are available. The supervisors, acting through the Council, may call upon the Attorney General of the State for such legal services as they may require, including rendering opinions and providing defense to suits. (Amended 1967, No. 303 (Adj. Sess.), § 11, eff. March 22, 1968; 1983, No. 142 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. April 6, 1984; 1995, No. 163 (Adj. Sess.), § 7, eff. May 15, 1996.)
10 V.S.A. § 722
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 10 - Conservation and Development|Chapter 31 - Soil Conservation Act|§ 722. Duties of supervisors; bonds; records; removal

§ 722. Duties of supervisors; bonds; records; removal|(a) The supervisors shall provide for the execution of surety bonds for all employees and officers who shall be entrusted with funds. They shall keep a full record of all proceedings and of all resolutions, rules, and orders issued, and shall provide for an annual audit of the receipts and disbursements.(b) The supervisors shall conduct an annual meeting of the district after first publicizing such meeting in a manner approved by the council.(c) Any supervisor may be removed by the State Natural Resources Conservation Council, upon notice and hearing, for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office, but for no other reason. (Amended 1959, No. 329 (Adj. Sess.), § 11(c), eff. March 1, 1961; 1967, No. 303 (Adj. Sess.), §§ 12, 13, 16(b), eff. March 22, 1968; 2019, No. 14, § 17, eff. April 30, 2019.)
10 V.S.A. § 724
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 10 - Conservation and Development|Chapter 31 - Soil Conservation Act|§ 724. Land-use, erosion control, and natural resources conservation rules; approval

§ 724. Land-use, erosion control, and natural resources conservation rules; approval|The supervisors of any district shall have authority to formulate rules, as set forth in this chapter, governing the use of lands within the district in the interest of conserving soil, controlling soil and stream bank erosion, and promoting conservation of natural resources and drainage. The supervisors may conduct such public meetings and public hearings upon rules proposed to be enacted as may be necessary to assist them in this work. The supervisors shall not have authority to enact such land-use rules into ordinances unless a majority of the owners of land lying within the boundaries of the district cast their votes for the approval of the proposed ordinance. The approval of the proposed ordinance by a majority of the votes cast in the referendum shall not be deemed to require the supervisors to enact the proposed ordinance. The rules to be adopted by the supervisors under the provisions of this chapter may include provisions for conserving soil resources, soil and stream bank erosion, water quality improvement, and conservation of natural resources and drainage. (Amended 1995, No. 163 (Adj. Sess.), § 9, eff. May 15, 1996; 2019, No. 14, § 18, eff. April 30, 2019.)
10 V.S.A. § 725
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 10 - Conservation and Development|Chapter 31 - Soil Conservation Act|§ 725. Uniformity of rules

§ 725. Uniformity of rules|The rules shall be uniform throughout the district, except that the supervisors may classify, prior to the adoption of such ordinances, the lands within the district with reference to such factors as soil type, degree of slope, degree of erosion threatened or existing, cropping and tillage practices in use, and other relevant factors, and may provide rules varying with the type or class of land affected, but uniform as to the lands within each class or type, provided however, that such classification has first been included in the notice published for such meeting. Copies of land-use rules adopted under the provisions of this chapter shall be made available to all owners and persons in possession of lands lying within the district, but such ordinances shall not apply to forestlands. (Amended 2019, No. 14, § 19, eff. April 30, 2019.)
10 V.S.A. § 726
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 10 - Conservation and Development|Chapter 31 - Soil Conservation Act|§ 726. Ordinances prescribing rules; referendum

§ 726. Ordinances prescribing rules; referendum|A referendum shall be conducted as follows:  (1) The ordinances proposed to be enacted shall be delivered by the supervisors or by agents authorized by them, or by mail to the last known address of such owners of land within the district, together with a warning of a district meeting, which warning shall contain an article for a vote upon the following question: Shall the proposed ordinance, No. . . . . ., prescribing land-use rules for conserving soil resources, soil and stream bank erosion, and conservation of natural resources, be adopted, the substance of which is as follows? (2) The vote under such article shall be by ballot in the following form: Shall the proposed ordinance No. . . . . . ., prescribing land-use rules for conserving soil resources, soil and stream bank erosion, and conservation of natural resources be adopted?    YES [  ]                                   NO [  ]       (Amended 1995, No. 163 (Adj. Sess.), § 10, eff. May 15, 1996; 2019, No. 14, § 20, eff. April 30, 2019.)
10 V.S.A. § 727
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 10 - Conservation and Development|Chapter 31 - Soil Conservation Act|§ 727. Conduct of referendum

§ 727. Conduct of referendum|The supervisors shall prescribe appropriate rules governing the conduct of the referendum, and shall publish and record the result of the ballot. All owners of lands within the district shall be eligible to vote in such referendum. (Amended 2019, No. 14, § 21, eff. April 30, 2019.)
10 V.S.A. § 728
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 10 - Conservation and Development|Chapter 31 - Soil Conservation Act|§ 728. Amendment or repeal of rules

§ 728. Amendment or repeal of rules|Any owner or person in possession of land within a district may at any time file a petition with the supervisors asking that any or all of the land-use rules prescribed in any ordinance adopted by the supervisors under the provisions of this chapter shall be amended, supplemented, or repealed. Land-use rules prescribed in any ordinance adopted pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall not be amended, supplemented, or repealed except in accordance with the procedure prescribed in this chapter for adoption of land-use rules. Referenda on adoption, amendment, supplementation, or repeal of land-use rules shall not be held more often than once in six months. (Amended 2019, No. 14, § 22, eff. April 30, 2019.)
10 V.S.A. § 729
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 10 - Conservation and Development|Chapter 31 - Soil Conservation Act|§ 729. Termination of district

§ 729. Termination of district|At any time after five years after the organization of a district under the provisions of this chapter, any 25 owners of land lying within the boundaries of the district may file a petition with the State Natural Resources Conservation Council praying that the operations of the district be terminated and the existence of the district discontinued. Proceedings to determine whether a district shall be discontinued shall follow so far as appropriate the procedure for the establishment of the district as set forth in this chapter. If a majority of the landowners of such district present and voting, vote to disband, the chair of the board of supervisors or a member of the board shall so certify to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State shall issue to the supervisors a certificate of dissolution, and make proper record of this action. (Amended 1959, No. 329 (Adj. Sess.), § 11(c), eff. March 1, 1961; 1967, No. 303 (Adj. Sess.), § 16(b), eff. March 22, 1968; 1995, No. 163 (Adj. Sess.), § 11, eff. May 15, 1996.)
10 V.S.A. § 730
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 10 - Conservation and Development|Chapter 31 - Soil Conservation Act|§ 730. Effect of termination

§ 730. Effect of termination|Upon issuance of a certificate of dissolution under the provisions of this chapter, all ordinances and rules previously adopted and in force within such districts shall be of no further force and effect. All contracts previously entered into, to which the district or supervisors are parties, shall remain in force and effect for the period provided in such contracts. The State Natural Resources Conservation Council shall have the right to be substituted for the district or supervisors as party to such contracts and, if it elects, the Council shall be entitled to all benefits and subject to all liabilities under such contracts and shall have the same right and liability to perform, to require performance, to sue and be sued thereon, and to modify or terminate such contracts by mutual consent or otherwise, as the supervisors of the district would have had. Such dissolution shall not affect the lien of any judgment entered under the provisions of this chapter, nor the pendency of any action instituted under the provisions of this chapter, and the Council shall succeed to all the rights and obligations of the district or supervisors as to such liens and actions. (Amended 1959, No. 329 (Adj. Sess.), § 11(c), eff. March 1, 1961; 1967, No. 303 (Adj. Sess.), § 16(b), eff. March 22, 1968; 2019, No. 14, § 23, eff. April 30, 2019.)