Virginia Law

Fort Monroe Authority

A. This article shall be known and may be cited as the Fort Monroe Authority Act.

B. The General Assembly finds and declares that:

1. Fort Monroe, located on a barrier spit at Hampton Roads Harbor and the southern end of Chesapeake Bay where the Old Point Comfort lighthouse has been welcoming ships since 1802, is one of the Commonwealth's most important cultural treasures. Strategically located near Virginia's Historic Triangle of Williamsburg, Yorktown, and Jamestown, the 565-acre site has been designated a National Historic Landmark District;

2. As a result of decisions made by the federal Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (known as the BRAC Commission), Fort Monroe will cease to be an army base in 2011, and at that time most of the site will revert to the Commonwealth;

3. The planning phase of Fort Monroe's transition from use as a United States Army base was managed by the Fort Monroe Federal Area Development Authority (FMFADA), originally established by the City of Hampton pursuant to legislation enacted by the General Assembly in 2007. The Fort Monroe Federal Area Development Authority, a partnership between the City and the Commonwealth, has fulfilled its primary purpose of formulating a reuse plan for Fort Monroe;

4. It is the policy of the Commonwealth to protect the historic resources at Fort Monroe, provide public access to the Fort's historic resources and recreational opportunities, exercise exemplary stewardship of the Fort's natural resources, and maintain Fort Monroe in perpetuity as a place that is a desirable one in which to reside, do business, and visit, all in a way that is economically sustainable;

5. Fort Monroe's status is unique. Municipal services will need to be provided to Fort Monroe's visitors, residents, and businesses. Both the Commonwealth and the FMFADA are signatories to a Programmatic Agreement under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act that requires several specific actions be taken, including the enforcement of design standards to be adopted by the FMFADA or its successor to govern any new development or building restoration or renovation at Fort Monroe. There exists a need for an entity that can manage the property for the Commonwealth and ensure adherence to the findings, declarations, and policies set forth in this section; and

6. The creation of an authority for this purpose is in the public interest, serves a public purpose, and will promote the health, safety, welfare, convenience, and prosperity of the people of the Commonwealth.

C. The Fort Monroe Authority is created, with the duties and powers set forth in this article, as a public body corporate and as a political subdivision of the Commonwealth. The Authority is constituted as a public instrumentality exercising public functions, and the exercise by the Authority of the duties and powers conferred by this article shall be deemed and held to be the performance of an essential governmental function of the Commonwealth. The exercise of the powers granted by this article and its public purpose shall be in all respects for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Commonwealth.

D. The Fort Monroe Authority is the successor in interest to that political subdivision formerly known as the Fort Monroe Federal Area Development Authority. As such, the Authority stands in the place and stead of, and assumes all rights and duties formerly of, the Fort Monroe Federal Area Development Authority, including but not limited to all leases, contracts, grants-in-aid, and all other agreements of whatsoever nature; holds title to all realty and personalty formerly held by the Fort Monroe Federal Area Development Authority; and may exercise all powers that might at any time past have been exercised by the Fort Monroe Federal Area Development Authority, including the powers and authorities of a Local Redevelopment Authority under the provisions of any and all applicable federal laws, including the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 2005.

E. The Fort Monroe Authority shall be subject to the Virginia Public Procurement Act (§ 2.2-4300 et seq.) and the Board shall adopt procedures consistent with that Act to govern its procurement processes.

F. Employees of the Fort Monroe Authority shall be eligible for membership in the Virginia Retirement System and all of the health and related insurance and other benefits, including premium conversion and flexible benefits, available to state employees as provided by law.

G. The provisions of the Virginia Personnel Act (§ 2.2-2900 et seq.) shall not apply to the Fort Monroe Authority.

2011, c. 716; 2020, cc. 269, 800.

As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Area of Operation" means land owned by the Commonwealth at Fort Monroe.

"Authority" means the Fort Monroe Authority.

"Board" means the Board of Trustees created in § 2.2-2338.

"Bonds" means any bonds, notes, interim certificates, debentures, or other obligations issued by the Authority pursuant to this article.

"City of Hampton" or "City" means the City of Hampton, Virginia, a municipal corporation of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

"Design Standards" means the standards developed as a requirement of the Programmatic Agreement and referred to in that document as the "Historic Preservation Manual and Design Standards" which govern the restoration, rehabilitation, and renovation of the contributing elements to the Fort Monroe National Historic Landmark District and new construction, additions, and reconstruction of buildings so they are compatible with the overall character of the District, as they may be adopted or amended from time to time.

"Facility" means a particular building or structure or particular buildings or structures, including all equipment, appurtenances, and accessories necessary or appropriate for the operation of such facility.

"Fort Monroe Master Plan" or "Master Plan" means the plan that identifies the long-term vision for the reuse of the Area of Operation, key implementation projects, and a detailed implementation strategy for attracting new uses and investment to the Area of Operation as approved by the Authority and produced in accordance with the public participation plan as adopted by the Authority.

"Fort Monroe Reuse Plan" or "Reuse Plan" means the document created by the Fort Monroe Federal Area Development Authority and adopted as an official operating document on August 20, 2008, as it may be amended from time to time.

"Programmatic Agreement for the Closure and Disposal of Fort Monroe, Va." or "Programmatic Agreement" means that certain agreement, as it may be amended from time to time, entered into among the U.S. Army, the Virginia State Historic Preservation Officer, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Fort Monroe Federal Area Development Authority and the National Park Service and signed by all Signatory Parties as of April 27, 2009, pursuant to § 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

"Project" means any specific enterprise undertaken by the Authority, including the facilities as defined in this article, and all other property, real or personal, or any interest therein, necessary or appropriate for the operation of such property.

"Real property" means all lands, including improvements and fixtures thereon, and property of any nature appurtenant thereto, or used in connection therewith, and every estate, interest, and right, legal or equitable, therein, including terms for years and liens by way of judgment, mortgage, or otherwise and the indebtedness secured by such liens.

"State Memorandum of Understanding" means an agreement between the Authority, the Secretary of Administration, the State Historic Preservation Officer, and the Governor, on behalf of all state agencies, to protect Fort Monroe and its historic, cultural, and natural assets by carefully implementing the plans, stipulations, requirements, and obligations under the Programmatic Agreement for nonfederal lands following the transfer of properties from the United States Army to the Commonwealth.

"Trustees" means the members of the Board of Trustees of the Authority.

2011, c. 716; 2012, cc. 436, 482; 2014, cc. 676, 681; 2019, cc. 38, 389.

There is hereby created a political subdivision and public body corporate and politic of the Commonwealth of Virginia to be known as the Fort Monroe Authority, to be governed by a Board of Trustees (Board) consisting of 14 members appointed as follows: the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources and the Secretary of Commerce and Trade, or their successor positions if those positions no longer exist, from the Governor's cabinet; the member of the Senate of Virginia and the member of the House of Delegates representing the district in which Fort Monroe lies; two members appointed by the Hampton City Council; and eight nonlegislative citizen members appointed by the Governor, seven of whom shall have expertise relevant to the implementation of the Fort Monroe Reuse Plan, including but not limited to the fields of historic preservation, tourism, environment, real estate, finance, and education, and one of whom shall be a citizen representative from the Hampton Roads region. The Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources and the Secretary of Commerce and Trade shall serve ex officio without voting privileges and may send their deputies or another cabinet member to meetings in the event that official duties require their presence elsewhere. Cabinet members and elected representatives shall serve terms commensurate with their terms of office. Legislative members may send another legislator to meetings as full voting members in the event that official duties require their presence elsewhere.

The Board so appointed shall enter upon the performance of its duties and shall initially and annually thereafter elect one of its members as chairman and another as vice-chairman. The Board shall also elect annually a secretary, who shall be a member of the Board, and a treasurer, who need not be a member of the Board, or a secretary-treasurer, who need not be a member of the Board. The chairman, or in his absence the vice-chairman, shall preside at all meetings of the Board, and in the absence of both the chairman and vice-chairman, the Board shall elect a chairman pro tempore who shall preside at such meetings. Seven Trustees shall constitute a quorum, and all action by the Board shall require the affirmative vote of a majority of the Trustees present and voting, except that any action to amend or terminate the existing Reuse Plan, or to adopt a new Reuse Plan, shall require the affirmative vote of 75 percent or more of the Trustees present and voting. The members of the Board shall be entitled to reimbursement for expenses incurred in attendance upon meetings of the Board or while otherwise engaged in the discharge of their duties. Such expenses shall be paid out of the treasury of the Authority in such manner as shall be prescribed by the Authority.

2011, cc. 716, 780, 858; 2014, cc. 115, 490, 676, 681; 2017, cc. 215, 732; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 401.

The Authority shall have the power and duty:

1. To do all things necessary and proper to further an appreciation of the contributions of the first permanent English-speaking settlers as well as the Virginia Indians to the building of our Commonwealth and nation, to commemorate the establishment of the first coastal fortification in the English-speaking New World, to commemorate the lives of prominent Virginians who were connected to the largest moated fortification in the United States, to commemorate the important role of African Americans in the history of the site, including the "Contraband" slave decision in 1861 that earned Fort Monroe the designation as "Freedom's Fortress," to commemorate Old Point Comfort's role in establishing international trade and British maritime law in Virginia, and to commemorate almost 250 years of continuous service as a coastal defense fortification of the United States of America;

2. To hire and develop a professional staff including a chief executive officer and such other staff as is necessary to discharge the responsibilities of the Authority;

3. To establish personnel policies and benefits for staff;

4. To oversee the preservation, conservation, protection, and maintenance of the Commonwealth's natural resources and real property interests at Fort Monroe and the renewal of Fort Monroe as a vibrant and thriving community;

5. To adopt an annual budget, which shall be submitted to the Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations and the House Committee on Appropriations and the Department of Planning and Budget by July 1 of each year;

6. To provide for additional, more complete, or more timely services than are generally available in the City of Hampton as a whole;

7. To create and manage a department within the Authority for the purpose of overseeing and managing all property and facilities provided, owned, operated, or financed by the Authority; and

8. To serve as the Commonwealth's management agent for all the land in the Area of Operation and for the implementation of actions and fulfillment of federal and state obligations for public and private land under the Fort Monroe Master Plan, Programmatic Agreement, Design Standards, Reuse Plan, State Memorandum of Understanding, and any other agreements regarding Fort Monroe to which the Commonwealth is a party, ensuring adherence to the findings, declarations, and policies set forth in this article, unless the Commonwealth and the Authority specifically agree in writing to the contrary.

2011, c. 716; 2012, cc. 436, 482; 2014, cc. 676, 681; 2022, Sp. Sess. I, c. 16; 2024, cc. 34, 114.

The Fort Monroe Master Plan shall be consistent with all preservation commitments and obligations agreed to by the Commonwealth. The Master Plan shall be approved by the Governor before it becomes effective.

2012, cc. 436, 482.

A. It is the policy of the Commonwealth that the historic, cultural, and natural resources of Fort Monroe be protected in any conveyance or alienation of real property interests by the Authority. Real property in the Area of Operation at Fort Monroe may be maintained as Commonwealth-owned land that is leased, whether by short-term operating/revenue lease or long-term ground lease, to appropriate public, private, or joint venture entities, with such historic, cultural, and natural resources being protected in any such lease, to be approved as to form by the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Virginia. If sold as provided in this article, real property interests in the Area of Operation at Fort Monroe may only be sold under covenants, historic conservation easements, historic preservation easements, or other appropriate legal restrictions approved as to form by the Attorney General that protect these historic and natural resources. Properties in the Wherry Quarter and Inner Fort areas identified in the Fort Monroe Reuse Plan may only be sold with the consent of both the Governor and the General Assembly, except that any transfer to the National Park Service shall require only the approval of the Governor. The proceeds from the sale or pre-paid lease of any real or personal property within the Area of Operation shall be retained by the Authority and used for infrastructure improvements in the Area of Operation.

B. The Authority shall have the power and duty:

1. To sue and be sued; to adopt and use a common seal and to alter the same as may be deemed expedient; to have perpetual succession; to make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of the powers of the Authority; and to make and from time to time amend and repeal bylaws, rules, and regulations, not inconsistent with law, to carry into effect the powers and purposes of the Authority;

2. To foster and stimulate the economic and other development of Fort Monroe, including without limitation development for business, employment, housing, commercial, recreational, educational, and other public purposes; to prepare and carry out plans and projects to accomplish such objectives; to provide for the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, reuse, improvement, alteration, maintenance, removal, equipping, or repair of any buildings, structures, or land of any kind; to lease or rent to others or to develop, operate, or manage with others in a joint venture or other partnering arrangement, on such terms as it deems proper and which are consistent with the provisions of the Programmatic Agreement, Design Standards, and Reuse Plan governing any lands, dwellings, houses, accommodations, structures, buildings, facilities, or appurtenances embraced within Fort Monroe; to establish, collect, and revise the rents charged and terms and conditions of occupancy thereof; to terminate any such lease or rental obligation upon the failure of the lessee or renter to comply with any of the obligations thereof; to arrange or contract for the furnishing by any person or agency, public or private, of works, services, privileges, or facilities in connection with any activity in which the Authority may engage, provided, however, that if services are provided by the City of Hampton pursuant to § 2.2-2341 for which the City is compensated pursuant to subsection B of § 2.2-2342, then the Authority may provide for additional, more complete, or more timely services than are generally available in the City of Hampton as a whole if deemed necessary or appropriate by the Authority; to acquire, own, hold, and improve real or personal property; to purchase, lease, obtain options upon, acquire by gift, grant, bequest, devise, easement, dedication, or otherwise any real or personal property or any interest therein, which purchase, lease, or acquisition may only be made for less than fair market value if the Board of Trustees determines, upon the advice of the Attorney General, that the transaction is consistent with the fiduciary obligation of the Authority to the Commonwealth and if necessary or appropriate to further the purposes of the Authority; as provided in this article, to sell, lease, exchange, transfer, assign, or pledge any real or personal property or any interest therein, which sale, lease, or other transfer or assignment may be made for less than fair market value; as provided in this article, to dedicate, make a gift of, or lease for a nominal amount any real or personal property or any interest therein to the Commonwealth, the City of Hampton, or other localities or agencies, public or private, within the Area of Operation or adjacent thereto, jointly or severally, for public use or benefit, such as, but not limited to, game preserves, playgrounds, park and recreational areas and facilities, hospitals, clinics, schools, and airports; to acquire, lease, maintain, alter, operate, improve, expand, sell, or otherwise dispose of onsite utility and infrastructure systems or sell any excess service capacity for offsite use; to acquire, lease, construct, maintain, and operate and dispose of tracks, spurs, crossings, terminals, warehouses, and terminal facilities of every kind and description necessary or useful in the transportation and storage of goods, wares, and merchandise; and to insure or provide for the insurance of any real or personal property or operation of the Authority against any risks or hazards;

3. To invest any funds held in reserves or sinking funds, or any funds not required for immediate disbursements, in property or security in which fiduciaries may legally invest funds subject to their control; to purchase its bonds at a price not more than the principal amount thereof and accrued interest, all bonds so purchased to be cancelled;

4. To undertake and carry out examinations, investigations, studies, and analyses of the business, industrial, agricultural, utility, transportation, and other economic development needs, requirements, and potentialities of its Area of Operation or offsite needs, requirements, and potentialities that directly affect the success of the Authority at Fort Monroe, and the manner in which such needs and requirements and potentialities are being met, or should be met, in order to accomplish the purposes for which it is created; to make use of the facts determined in such research and analyses in its own operation; and to make the results of such studies and analyses available to public bodies and to private individuals, groups, and businesses, except as such information may be exempted pursuant to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.);

5. To administer, develop, and maintain at Fort Monroe permanent commemorative cultural and historical museums and memorials;

6. To adopt names, flags, seals, and other emblems for use in connection with such shrines and to copyright the same in the name of the Commonwealth;

7. To enter into any contracts not otherwise specifically authorized in this article to further the purposes of the Authority, after approval as to form by the Attorney General;

8. To establish nonprofit corporations as instrumentalities to assist in administering the affairs of the Authority;

9. To exercise the power of eminent domain in the manner provided by Chapter 3 (§ 25.1-300 et seq.) of Title 25.1 within the Authority's Area of Operation; however, eminent domain may only be used to obtain easements across property on Fort Monroe for the provision of water, sewer, electrical, ingress and egress, and other necessary or useful services to further the purposes of the Authority, unless the Governor has expressly granted authority to obtain interests for other purposes;

10. To fix, charge, and collect rents, fees, and charges (i) for the use of, or the benefit derived from, the services or facilities provided, owned, operated, or financed by the Authority benefiting property within the Authority's Area of Operation and (ii) for the consumption within the Area of Operation of goods and services being provided in exchange for value by any person or business located and operating, permanently or temporarily, within the Area of Operation. Such rents, fees, and charges may be charged to and collected by such persons and in such manner as the Authority may determine from (a) any person contracting for the services or using the Authority facilities or (b) the owners, tenants, or customers of the real estate and improvements that are served by, or benefit from the use of, any such services or facilities, in such manner as shall be authorized by the Authority in connection with the provision of such services or facilities. Such rents, fees, and charges shall not be chargeable to the Commonwealth or, where such rents, fees or charges relate to services or facilities utilized by the City of Hampton to provide municipal services, to the City of Hampton except as may be provided by lease or other agreement and may be used to fund the provision of the additional, more complete, or more timely services authorized under subdivision 6 of § 2.2-2339, the payments provided under § 2.2-2342, or for other purposes as the Authority may determine to be appropriate, subject to the provisions of subsection B of § 2.2-2342;

11. To receive and expend gifts, grants, and donations from whatever source derived for the purposes of the Authority;

12. To employ a chief executive officer and such deputies and assistants as may be required;

13. To elect any past chairman of the Board of Trustees to the honorary position of chairman emeritus. Chairmen emeriti shall serve as honorary members for life. Chairmen emeriti shall be elected in addition to the nonlegislative citizen member positions defined in § 2.2-2338;

14. To determine what paintings, statuary, works of art, manuscripts, and artifacts may be acquired by purchase, gift, or loan and to exchange or sell the same if not inconsistent with the terms of such purchase, gift, loan, or other acquisition;

15. To change the form of investment of any funds, securities, or other property, real or personal, provided the same are not inconsistent with the terms of the instrument under which the same were acquired, and to sell, grant, or convey any such property, subject to the provisions of subsection A of § 2.2-2340;

16. To cooperate with the federal government, the Commonwealth, the City of Hampton, or other nearby localities in the discharge of its enumerated powers;

17. To exercise all or any part or combination of powers granted in this article;

18. To do any and all other acts and things that may be reasonably necessary and convenient to carry out its purposes and powers;

19. To adopt, amend or repeal, by the Board of Trustees, or the executive committee thereof, regulations concerning the use of, access to and visitation of properties under the control of the Authority in order to protect or secure such properties and the public enjoyment thereof, with any violation of such regulations being punishable by a civil penalty of up to $100 for the first violation and up to $250 for any subsequent violation, such civil penalty to be paid to the Authority;

20. To provide parking and traffic rules and regulations on property owned by the Authority; and

21. To provide that any person who knowingly violates a regulation of the Authority may be requested by an agent or employee of the Authority to leave the property and upon the failure of such person so to do shall be guilty of a trespass as provided in § 18.2-119.

2011, c. 716; 2012, cc. 436, 482; 2014, cc. 676, 681; 2023, cc. 209, 210; 2024, cc. 34, 114.

The Authority shall have the power to install, operate, maintain, repair, and replace, or to cause to be installed, operated, maintained, repaired, and replaced, within the Area of Operation, security cameras and any other devices or sensors that the Authority deems to be useful to enhance the safety and security of persons or property located within the Area of Operation.

2023, cc. 209, 210.

A. All of Fort Monroe is within the City of Hampton's jurisdictional limits; therefore, the City of Hampton is the locality and Virginia municipal corporation for the Authority's Area of Operation. Nothing in this article is intended to limit or restrict the otherwise existing authority of the City of Hampton which, except as otherwise provided in this article, is reserved solely for the City of Hampton. As authorized in this article, the Authority may supplement in its Area of Operation the works, services, privileges, or facilities provided by the City of Hampton to provide additional, more complete, or more timely works, services, privileges, or facilities than provided by the City of Hampton.

B. The Authority shall adopt procedures for the implementation of required actions under the Programmatic Agreement and any other agreements regarding Fort Monroe to which the Commonwealth is a party, including adherence to the Reuse Plan and the Design Standards adopted by the Authority. Those procedures shall provide the City of Hampton a reasonable opportunity for review and comment regarding any proposed actions.

C. The City shall be responsible for dealing directly with any taxpayers at Fort Monroe regarding the collection of any taxes or fees which the City believes are due based on real property interests, business activity, ownership of personal property, and other authorized taxes and fees, unless the City and the Authority agree differently in writing.

D. In its comprehensive plan and in adopting a zoning ordinance for the Area of Operation, the City shall recognize the authority of the federal and state obligations for land use regulation placed upon the Fort Monroe Authority by the requirements of the Fort Monroe Master Plan, Programmatic Agreement, Design Standards, Reuse Plan, State Memorandum of Understanding, and any other agreements regarding Fort Monroe to which the Commonwealth is a party.

2011, c. 716; 2014, cc. 676, 681.

Notwithstanding the provisions of § 46.2-916.3, the Authority shall be solely responsible for regulating the operation of golf carts and utility vehicles within the Area of Operation. Regulations of the Authority shall provide that golf carts and utility vehicles may only be used by Authority staff and contractors engaged by the Authority while such staff and contractors are conducting the official business of the Authority.

2012, cc. 436, 482.

A. The Authority may agree to make such payments to the Commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof, which payments such bodies are hereby authorized to accept, for any goods, services, licenses, concessions or franchises as the Authority finds consistent with the purposes for which the Authority has been created.

B. It is the intent of this section that the Authority shall pay a fee in lieu of taxes as provided in this section. Such fee shall be payable by the Authority to the City of Hampton and shall be payable, in arrears, for the period January 1 through June 30 on each June 30, and for the period July 1 through December 31 on each December 31. The amount of such fee shall be determined as follows: (i) all property in the Area of Operation shall be assessed as if privately owned; (ii) property that would not be taxed if located elsewhere in the City of Hampton by virtue of the ownership, control, or use of the property, other than property classified solely under subdivision A 1 of § 58.1-3606, shall be excluded from the calculation of the fee in lieu of taxes; and (iii) the total assessed value, less any exemptions, shall then be divided by $100, multiplied by the then-current real estate tax rate set by the City of Hampton, minus the real estate taxes (a) owed to the City of Hampton directly from taxpayers other than the Authority within the Area of Operation, including lessees subject to taxation and billed to the lessee pursuant to subsection E, and (b) collected by the Authority and remitted to the City of Hampton pursuant to subsection E in the calendar year prior to the year for which the fee in lieu of taxes is then determined. The Authority may apply to the assessor of real estate for the City of Hampton and follow the process for recognition of an exemption applicable to other such properties in the City for any property subject to the fee in lieu of taxes, other than property subject to taxation and billed directly to the lessee pursuant to subsection E.

C. The Authority shall use all funds available and manage its finances and take all necessary and prudent actions to ensure that the fee in lieu of taxes provided in subsection B is paid when due and shall notify the City of Hampton and the Trustees as soon as practical if the funds will not be available to pay the fee in lieu of taxes when due and the Trustees shall take all necessary actions to remedy any deficiency. In the event the fee in lieu of taxes is not paid when due, interest thereon shall at that time accrue at the rate, not to exceed the maximum amount allowed by § 2.2-4355, determined by the City of Hampton until such time as the overdue payment and interest are paid. Unpaid fees in lieu of taxes and interest thereon shall rank in parity with liens for unpaid taxes and may be collected by the City of Hampton as taxes are collected; however, no real property of the Commonwealth or the Authority may be sold in such collection efforts.

D. The Authority shall have the right to contest the assessments made on property at Fort Monroe owned by the Commonwealth or the Authority or any property for which the Commonwealth or the Authority shall be responsible for payment of the fee in lieu of taxes, using the procedures utilized by other citizens of the City of Hampton, including appeals to the Board of Review of Real Estate Assessments for the City of Hampton and appeals therefrom to the Circuit Court of the City of Hampton, which is hereby granted jurisdiction to adjudicate any such appeal by the Authority in the same manner as applicable to private property owners or lessees in the City.

E. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 58.1-3203, all real property in the Area of Operation that is leased, whether by short-term operating/revenue lease or long-term ground lease, shall be assessed as if it were privately owned, and each lessee thereof shall be subject to taxation to be billed and collected by the City of Hampton as if the lessee were the owner, regardless of the term; however, leases for a cumulative term of less than 20 years shall be billed to and collected from the Authority by the City of Hampton. For purposes of this subsection, "cumulative term" includes the original term plus any optional extensions or renewals of that term. The City of Hampton shall have no obligation to assess any leased property that may be subject to taxation pursuant to this subsection unless and until it has received from the Authority a complete and fully executed copy of the lease, which shall include a description of the property comparable to that which would be required for the fee simple conveyance of such leased property. Any property not assessed by the City of Hampton pursuant to this subsection shall remain subject to the provisions of subsection B. This subsection shall not apply to leases of any term with other government entities.

F. The Authority and any lessee that is directly billed by the City of Hampton (i) may apply to the assessor of real estate for the City of Hampton and follow the process for recognition of an exemption applicable to other such properties in the City and (ii) shall have the right to contest the assessments made on property taxed to the lessee pursuant to this section using the procedures utilized by other citizens of the City of Hampton, including appeals to the Board of Review of Real Estate Assessments for the City of Hampton and appeals therefrom to the Circuit Court of the City of Hampton, which is hereby granted jurisdiction to adjudicate any such appeal by a qualifying lessee in the same manner applicable to private property owners and other lessees in the City.

2011, c. 716; 2013, c. 221; 2019, cc. 468, 469.

In addition to the powers conferred upon the Authority by other provisions of this article, the Authority shall have the power:

1. To borrow moneys or accept contributions, grants, or other financial assistance from the federal government, the Commonwealth, any locality or political subdivision, any agency or instrumentality thereof, including but not limited to the Virginia Resources Authority, or any source, public or private, for or in aid of any project of the Authority, and to these ends, to comply with such conditions and enter into such mortgages, trust indentures, leases, or agreements as may be necessary, convenient, or desirable;

2. To apply for grants from the Urban Public-Private Partnership Redevelopment Fund pursuant to Chapter 24.1 (§ 15.2-2414 et seq.) of Title 15.2. The Authority shall be considered a local government eligible for grants under that chapter. Funds from any source available to the Authority may be used to meet the matching requirement of any such grant;

3. To participate in local group pools authorized pursuant to § 15.2-2703 or to participate in the Commonwealth's risk pool administered by the Division of Risk Management;

4. To utilize the provisions of the Public-Private Transportation Act of 1995 (§ 33.2-1800 et seq.) and the Public-Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act of 2002 (§ 56-575.1 et seq.) as a qualifying public entity under those statutes;

5. To apply for and receive enterprise zone designation under the Enterprise Zone Grant Act (§ 59.1-538 et seq.). Fort Monroe shall be considered an eligible area for such designation, although the Governor is not obligated to grant such a designation;

6. To act as a local cooperating entity pursuant to § 62.1-148; and

7. To enter into agreements with any public or private utility for the ownership or operation of utility services at Fort Monroe, as provided in § 2.2-2348.1. The Authority and the City may mutually agree that such services should not or need not be included under any franchise agreement that the City has with that utility. The utility shall provide the same service generally available to its other customers in the City at reasonable rates.

2011, c. 716; 2014, cc. 676, 681.

The Authority shall have power to issue bonds from time to time in its discretion for any of its corporate purposes, including the issuance of refunding bonds for the payment or retirement of bonds previously issued by it. The Authority may issue such type of bonds as it may determine, including but not limited to:

1. Bonds on which the principal and interest are payable:

a. Exclusively from the income and revenues of the project or facility financed with the proceeds of such bonds;

b. Exclusively from the income and revenues of certain designated projects or facilities whether or not they are financed in whole or in part with the proceeds of such bonds; or

c. From its revenues generally; and

2. Bonds on which the principal and interest are payable solely from contributions or grants received from the federal government, the Commonwealth, or any other source, public or private.

Any such bonds may be additionally secured by a pledge of any grants or contributions from the federal government, the Commonwealth, any political subdivision of the Commonwealth, or other source, or a pledge of any income or revenues of the Authority, or a mortgage of any particular projects or facilities or other property of the Authority.

Neither the Trustees of the Authority nor any person executing the bonds shall be liable personally on the bonds by reason of the issuance thereof. The bonds and other obligations of the Authority, and such bonds and obligations shall so state on their face, shall not be a debt of the Commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof other than the issuing Authority, and neither the Commonwealth nor any political subdivision thereof other than the issuing Authority shall be liable thereon, nor shall such bonds or obligations be payable out of any funds or properties other than those of the Authority. The bonds shall not constitute indebtedness within the meaning of any debt limitation or restriction. Bonds of the Authority are declared to be issued for an essential public and governmental purpose.

2011, c. 716.

The chief executive officer shall exercise such powers and duties relating to the Authority conferred upon the Board as may be delegated to him by the Board, including powers and duties involving the exercise of discretion. The chief executive officer shall also exercise and perform such other powers and duties as may be lawfully delegated to him and such powers and duties as may be conferred or imposed upon him by law.

2011, c. 716; 2024, cc. 34, 114.

For such legal services as it may require, the Authority may employ its own counsel and legal staff or make use of legal services made available to it by any public body, or both; however, the Authority shall be required to use any legal services provided by the Office of the Attorney General, if such services are made available, since the property at Fort Monroe is an asset of the Commonwealth.

2011, c. 716.

The bonds or other securities issued by the Authority, the interest thereon, and all real and personal property and any interest therein of the Authority, and all income derived therefrom by the Authority shall at all times be free from taxation by the Commonwealth, or by any political subdivision thereof.

2011, c. 716.

The rents, fees, and charges established by the Authority for the use of its property, projects, and facilities and for any other service furnished or provided by the Authority shall be fixed so that they, together with other revenues of the Authority, shall provide at least sufficient funds to pay the cost of maintaining, repairing, and operating the Authority; its property, projects, and facilities; and the principal and interest of any bonds issued by the Authority or other debts contracted as the same shall become due and payable. A reserve may be accumulated and maintained out of the revenues of the Authority for extraordinary repairs and expenses and for such other purposes as may be provided in any resolution authorizing a bond issue or in any trust indenture securing such bonds. Subject to such provisions and restrictions as may be set forth in the resolution or in the trust indenture authorizing or securing any of the bonds or other obligations issued hereunder, the Authority shall have exclusive control of the revenue derived from the operation of the Authority and the right to use such revenues in the exercise of its powers and duties set forth in this article. No person, firm, association, or corporation shall receive any profit or dividend from the revenues, earnings, or other funds or assets of such authority other than for debts contracted, for services rendered, for materials and supplies furnished, and for other value actually received by the Authority.

The accounts of the Authority shall be audited annually by the Auditor of Public Accounts, or his legally authorized representative, and the cost of such audit shall be borne by the Authority. Copies of the annual audit shall be distributed to the Governor and to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations.

2011, c. 716.

A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the ownership of certain property located in the City of Hampton, Virginia, generally known as "Fort Monroe," and shown in the land records of the City of Hampton as being owned by the Commonwealth, whether in the name of the Commonwealth or the Fort Monroe Authority, is validly vested in the Commonwealth, with all rights, title, and interest therein.

B. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the ownership of the roads, water, sewer, and other utility services on that certain property located in the City of Hampton, Virginia, consisting of 561.345 acres, more or less, generally known as "Fort Monroe," shall be deemed validly vested in the Commonwealth, being more particularly described as follows: All those certain lots, pieces, or parcels of land situate, lying, and being in the City of Hampton, in the Commonwealth of Virginia, containing 561.345 acres, more or less, described as Parcels A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H on that certain survey by the Norfolk District Corps of Engineers dated July 20, 2009, last revised November 15, 2012, entitled "Plat Showing 8 Parcels of Land Totaling +/-561.345 Acres Situated on Fort Monroe, Virginia," and recorded in the Clerk's Office of the Circuit Court of the City of Hampton in Instrument No. 130009559 at Pages 286 and 287.

1. The Authority shall maintain such roads as public rights-of-way to ensure lawful access to the properties within said acreage; however, the Commonwealth may convey its right, title, and interests in such roads to the City of Hampton or the Virginia Department of Transportation, and thereby transfer the obligation to maintain such roads.

2. The Authority shall maintain and operate such water, sewer, and other utility services to ensure that the properties within said acreage have access to such utility services; however, the Commonwealth may convey its right, title, and interest in any such utility owned by the Commonwealth to a public or private entity and thereafter transfer the obligation to maintain and operate such utilities.

2014, cc. 676, 681; 2024, cc. 35, 115.

The powers conferred by this article shall be in addition and supplemental to the powers conferred by any other law. This article shall be liberally construed to effect the purposes hereof.

2011, c. 716; 2015, c. 709.

Insofar as the provisions of this chapter are inconsistent with the provisions of any other law, general, special, or local, or parts thereof, the provisions of this chapter shall be controlling.

2012, cc. 436, 482.

No provisions of this article nor any act of the Authority, including the procurement of insurance or self-insurance, shall be deemed a waiver of any sovereign immunity to which the Authority or its directors, officers, employees, or agents are otherwise entitled.

2011, c. 716.