§ 13. Enumeration of powers of the council.

In addition to the powers conferred by other general statutes, the council of the town shall have the power:

(1)

Streets, etc., generally. To lay off streets, walks or alleys; to alter, improve and light the same and have them kept in good order;

(2)

Public grounds, etc. To lay off public grounds and provide all buildings necessary for the town;

(3)

Nuisances. To abate and remove nuisances;

(4)

Contagious diseases. To make regulations and provisions in reference to contagious diseases;

(5)

Keeping of gun powder, etc. To regulate the keeping of gun powder or other combustibles within the corporate limits and beyond within one mile thereof;

(6)

Keeping of gasoline, etc. To regulate the keeping of gasoline, kerosene and other combustible oils within the town or out of the town near the corporate limits, and may prohibit the keeping of more than certain fixed quantities of gasoline and other such combustible or explosive products at certain places and within fixed areas and permit the storage of larger quantities at other places within and beyond the limits of the town;

(7)

Cemeteries. To provide, permit or prohibit the establishment of cemeteries or places for interment of the dead in or within one mile of the town, and to regulate the same, and also all such places heretofore established;

(8)

Waterworks, ice plants, gasworks, etc., generally. To acquire control or establish, maintain, operate, extend and enlarge waterworks, ice plants, gasworks, electric light and power plants and other public utilities within or beyond the limits of the town for the purpose of supplying the inhabitants of the town with gas, light, power and other benefits and conveniences for public use, and for such other purposes as are permitted by the laws of the state; to acquire within or beyond the limits of the town by purchase, condemnation or otherwise, whatever land may be necessary for constructing, locating, establishing, maintaining, operating, extending, or enlarging any such waterworks, ice plants, gasworks, electric plants and other plants and facilities necessary for establishing, any and other public utilities, and also the rights of ways, rails, pipes, poles, conduits or any of the fixtures or appurtenances thereof;

(9)

Rock quarries. To lease, own, operate or maintain rock quarries and land within or out of the town for the purpose of obtaining material for use upon the public streets, places or works of the town and to own and operate all machinery and plants necessary for the operation and development of any such quarries;

(10)

Pollution of water; injuries to waterworks, electric light plants, etc. To prevent the pollution of water and injuries to waterworks and electric light plants and their appurtenances, for which purposes the council shall have jurisdiction for ten miles beyond the limits of the town in like manner as if said works, plants and other such property of the town were within the town, and to protect from injury by ordinance with adequate penalty, the pipes, poles, works, fixtures, land and other things used in connection with the waterworks, electric plants or other public utilities owned or controlled by the town;

(11)

Sewage disposal plants, sewers, etc. To make, erect, and construct within or beyond the limits of said town septic tanks and other sewage disposal plants, sewers and public ducts and to acquire within or beyond the limits of said town, by purchase, condemnation or otherwise, so much land as may be necessary to make, erect, construct, operate and maintain the same;

(12)

Building of houses; building lines; height and character of buildings; removal of dilapidated, etc., buildings. To make regulations concerning the building of houses in said town and to establish and maintain public squares, parks and playgrounds and boulevards and cause the same to be laid out, equipped or beautified and, in particular districts or along particular streets, to prescribe and elect building lines, regulate the height and character of buildings, and to require the removal of any dilapidated, unsightly or unused buildings, especially where same constitute a dangerous menace and fire risk;

(13)

Permanent street lines. To locate and establish or relocate and re-establish permanent street lines where same are in doubt and after due notice to all parties in interest;

(14)

Accidents, fires, etc. To make regulations for the purpose of guarding against accidents, fires and other dangers to the general public;

(15)

Exits from assembly houses. To regulate the means of exit from houses used for the assemblies of the public;

(16)

Injury, etc., from anything dangerous, etc. To prevent injury or annoyance to the public from anything dangerous, offensive or unwholesome;

(17)

Worship. To protect places of divine worship and to prevent disturbances of public worship in and about the premises where held;

(18)

Sabbath Day. To provide for order and preservance [preservation] of the Sabbath Day;

(19)

Vice, etc. To prevent vice and immorality;

(20)

Houses for gambling, etc. To suppress houses for gambling and of ill fame;

(21)

Elections. To appoint and publish the places for holding town elections and the time of holding special elections and polls.

Editor's note— The unofficial division of this section, for editorial purposes, into numbered subsections is continued from the 1983 publication of the town Code.

State Law reference— Counties, cities and towns, Code of Virginia, tit. 15.2; powers conferred and exercised by council, Code of Virginia, § 15.2-1100 et seq.

State law reference

Counties, cities and towns, Code of Virginia, tit. 15.2; powers conferred and exercised by council, Code of Virginia, § 15.2-1100 et seq.

Editor's note

The unofficial division of this section, for editorial purposes, into numbered subsections is continued from the 1983 publication of the town Code.