Orange, Town of
County of Orange
History of incorporation
Incorporated by an 1833-34 Act of Assembly.
Charter, 1833-34, c. 240.
Charter, 1855-56, c. 256; repealed 1950, c. 94.
Current charter
Charter, 1950, c. 94.
Amendments to current charter
1986, c. 79 (§§ 1.1 [added], 3 [repealed], 3.1 [added], 3.2 [added])
1995, c. 287 (§ 2)
2000, c. 160 (§ 2)
2002, c. 10 (§ 2)
2003, c. 178 (§ 2)
§ 1. Corporate status.
The inhabitants of the territory comprised within the present limits of the Town of Orange, or as such limits may be hereafter altered by law, shall constitute and continue a body, politic and corporate, known as the Town of Orange and as such shall have and may exercise all powers which are now or hereafter may be conferred upon or delegated to towns under the Constitution and general laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, as fully and completely as though such powers were specifically enumerated herein. The Town shall have, exercise and enjoy all the rights, immunities, powers and privileges and be subject to all the duties and obligations now pertaining to and incumbent on it as a municipal corporation; and shall have perpetual succession, may sue and be sued, implead and be impleaded, contract and be contracted with, and may have a corporate seal which it may alter at its pleasure by proper ordinance. (1950, c. 94)
§ 1.1. The powers set forth in §§ 15.1-837 to 15.1-907 of Chapter 18 of Title 15.1 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, are hereby conferred on and vested in the Town of Orange. (1986, c. 79)
§ 2. Corporate limits.
The present corporate limits of the Town are hereby re-established in accordance with a survey and plat made by O. R. Randolph, Engineer, the courses and distances of which are set forth in an Order in re: Annexation Proceeding, Town of Orange vs: County of Orange, dated December 30, 1948, and recorded in Law Order Book No. 7 on file in the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Orange County, and as expanded by the metes and bounds as set forth in an Order in re: Voluntary Settlement Proceeding, Petition of the Town of Orange and the County of Orange, dated June 30, 1992, in Law Order Book 25, beginning at page 47 and in the survey on file in Plat Cabinet 4, Item 26, all of which are on file in the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Orange County, and as set forth in an Order in re: Petition of the County of Orange, Virginia, and the Town of Orange, Virginia, To Relocate the Boundary Line Between Them, dated February 26, 1999, in Deed Book 640, page 295, which is on file in the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Orange County, and as expanded by the boundary as set forth in an Order in re: Petition of the County of Orange, Virginia, and the Town of Orange, Virginia, to Relocate the Boundary Line Between Them, dated February 16, 2001, in Law Order Book 36, beginning at page 180 and in the survey on file in Plat Cabinet I, Slot 129-A, and as expanded by the boundary as set forth in an Order in re: Petition of the County of Orange, Virginia, and the Town of Orange, Virginia, to Relocate the Boundary Line Between Them, dated September 27, 2002, Chancery Instrument No. 02000144 and Land Record Instrument No. 020008652, all of which are on file in the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Orange County. (1950, c. 94; 1995, c. 287; 2000, c. 160; 2002, c. 10; 2003, c. 178)
§ 3. 1950, c. 94; repealed 1986, c. 79.
§ 3.1. The town shall be governed under the town manager plan with a council of five members as set forth in Title 15.1 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended. The present members of the Town Council shall continue in office until July 1, 1986, or until their successors are legally elected and qualified.
Subject to the general election to be held in May of 1986, the Town Council which takes office on July 1, 1986, shall hold office as follows:
The three candidates receiving the highest number of votes at the May 1986 election shall serve four-year terms.
The two candidates receiving the next highest numbers of votes shall serve two-year terms.
Except for the terms of councilmen as hereinabove specified, the term of each member of council shall be four years. The date for the election of councilmen and the date such officers shall enter upon the duties of their offices shall be in accordance with general law. (1986, c. 79)
§ 3.2. The members of the Town Council shall receive such salaries for their services as shall be fixed in accordance with the state law. (1986, c. 79)
§ 4. Taxation.
The Town is empowered to levy and collect taxes on all subjects of taxation except as restrained by the Constitution or by general law heretofore or hereafter adopted, provided that the Town shall impose no tax on bonds of the Town, and provided further that the levy of ad valorum taxes without limitation of rate or amount for payment of general obligation bonds of the Town is authorized upon all taxable property within said Town as now and hereafter constituted. (1950, c. 94)
§ 5. Repeal of previous charter.
Chapter 256 of the Acts of Assembly of 1855-'6, Chapter 123 of the Acts of Assembly of 1883-'4, Chapter 97, Acts of Assembly of 1895-'6 and Chapter 14 Acts of Assembly of Special Session 1919, are repealed. (1950, c. 94)
§ 6. Reference.
This Act may be referred to or cited as the Orange Charter of 1950. (1950. c. 94)