Virginia Law

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

"Camping and recreational facilities" means camp sites, cabins, lodges, halls, tent camps, trailer camps, public and park lands, as well as equipment, structures and roads which are appurtenant to and useful in connection with state parks including, but not limited to sanitary and utility services, restaurants, cafeterias, stables, horses and riding equipment, bathing beaches, boathouses, boats, conference facilities, sightseeing facilities, sports facilities, bridges, access highways, and all incidental rights, easements, equipment and structures now under the control of the Department or acquired, constructed, enlarged or improved under the provisions of this chapter.

"Cost of camping and recreational facilities" means the purchase price, the cost of construction, the cost of all lands, properties, rights, easements and franchises acquired for construction, enlargements or improvements, reserve funds for the payment of principal or interest on the bonds, interest during construction of the enlargements or improvements, engineering and legal expenses, cost of plans, specifications, surveys, estimates of cost and of revenues, expenses for determining the feasibility or practicability of the enterprise, administrative expense, and other expenses necessary or incident to the financing and operation of any authorized project.

Code 1950, § 10-100; 1966, c. 41; 1970, c. 651; 1984, c. 750; 1986, c. 498; 1988, c. 891.

In addition to other powers conferred by law, the Director may, subject to the provisions of this chapter:

1. Acquire, construct, enlarge, improve, operate and maintain camping and recreational facilities in any of the state parks under the control of the Department;

2. Issue revenue bonds of the Commonwealth to pay the cost of camping and recreational facilities and to pledge to the payment of the principal of and the interest on such revenue bonds all or any portion of the revenues to be derived from camping and recreational facilities to be acquired or constructed from the proceeds of such revenue bonds, after obtaining the consent of the Governor;

3. Establish and collect fees and charges for the use of camping and recreational facilities;

4. Receive and accept from any agency or instrumentality of the United States or other public or private body, contributions of either money or property or other things of value, to be held, used and applied for the purposes of this chapter;

5. Make and enter into all contracts or agreements necessary or incidental to the execution of his powers under this chapter;

6. Enter into or obtain contracts or policies of insurance, letters of credit or other agreements to secure payment of the bonds authorized to be issued pursuant to this chapter.

Code 1950, § 10-101; 1966, c. 41; 1984, c. 750; 1986, c. 498; 1988, c. 891.

The cost of camping and recreational facilities financed under this chapter shall be paid solely from the proceeds of revenue bonds issued under the provisions of this chapter, or from proceeds from any grant or contribution which may be made pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

Code 1950, § 10-102; 1988, c. 891.

A. The Director is authorized to provide for the issuance of revenue bonds of the Commonwealth for the purpose of paying all or any part of the cost of camping and recreational facilities. The principal and interest of the bonds shall be payable solely from the special fund provided in this chapter for such payment. All bonds shall be issued and sold through the Treasury Board whose approval of each of the determinations and designations specified in subsection B of this section shall be required.

B. The revenue bonds shall be dated, shall bear interest rates and be payable at times determined by the Director. The bonds shall mature no longer than thirty years from their date and may be made redeemable before maturity, at a price and under terms and conditions established by the Director prior to the issuance of the bonds. The principal and interest of bonds may be made payable in any lawful medium.

C. The Director shall determine the form of the bonds, including any attached interest coupons, and shall fix the denominations of the bonds and the places of payment of principal and interest, which may be at any bank or trust company. The bonds shall be signed by the Director and the State Treasurer and shall bear the lesser seal of the Commonwealth or a facsimile thereof, and any attached coupons shall bear the facsimile signature of the Director. The bonds may be executed with the facsimile signature of the Director and the State Treasurer, in which case the bonds shall be authenticated by a corporate trustee or other authenticating agent approved by the Director. If any officer whose signature appears on the bonds or coupons ceases to be such officer before delivery of the bonds, the signature shall nevertheless be valid and sufficient for all purposes.

D. All revenue bonds issued under the provisions of this chapter shall have all the qualities and incidents of negotiable instruments under the negotiable instruments law of the Commonwealth. Such bonds and the income therefrom shall be exempt from all taxation within the Commonwealth.

E. The bonds may be issued in coupon or in registered form, or both, as the Director may determine, and provision may be made for the registration of any coupon bond as to both principal and interest, and for the reconversion of any bonds registered as to both principal and interest into coupon bonds.

Code 1950, § 10-103; 1958, c. 484; 1986, c. 498; 1988, c. 891.

A. The Treasury Board as agent for the Director may sell revenue bonds at private or public sale for such price and in the manner it determines to be in the best interests of the Commonwealth.

B. The proceeds of the bonds shall be used solely for the payment of the cost of camping and recreational facilities for which they are issued, and shall be disbursed by the Director.

C. If the proceeds of the bonds of any issue are less than the cost of the camping and recreational facilities for which the bonds were issued, additional bonds may be issued to provide the amount of the deficit. Unless otherwise provided in the resolution authorizing the issuance of the bonds or in the trust indenture described in this chapter, the additional bonds shall be deemed to be of the same issue and shall be entitled to payment from the same fund without preference or priority of the bonds first issued for the facilities.

D. If the proceeds of any bonds issued to pay the cost of camping and recreational facilities exceed the facilities cost, the surplus shall be paid into the fund provided for the payment of principal and interest of the bonds.

E. Prior to the preparation of definitive bonds, temporary bonds may be issued, under similar restrictions, with or without coupons, exchangeable for subsequently issued definitive bonds.

F. The Director may replace any bond which is mutilated, destroyed or lost.

G. The revenue bonds may be issued in accordance with the specific proceedings and conditions required by this chapter.

Code 1950, § 10-103; 1958, c. 484; 1986, c. 498; 1988, c. 891.

Revenue bonds issued under the provisions of this chapter shall not constitute a debt of the Commonwealth or a pledge of the faith and credit of the Commonwealth, but such bonds shall be payable solely from the funds provided from fees and charges. The bonds shall state on their face that the Commonwealth is not obligated to pay the bonds or the interest on them except from the special fund provided from fees and charges under this chapter, and that the faith and credit of the Commonwealth are not pledged to the payment of the principal or interest of the bonds. The issuance of revenue bonds under the provisions of this chapter shall not obligate the Commonwealth to levy or to pledge any form of taxation for the bonds or to make any appropriation for their payment, other than to appropriate available funds derived as revenue from fees and charges collected under this chapter.

Code 1950, § 10-104; 1988, c. 891.

Any issue of revenue bonds may be secured by a trust indenture by and between the Director, in the name of the Commonwealth, and a corporate trustee, which may be any trust company or bank having the powers of a trust company. The trust indenture may pledge fees and charges to be received from the use of and for the services rendered by any camp and recreational facilities to be acquired or constructed from the proceeds of such revenue bonds, but no trust indenture shall convey or mortgage any camping or recreational facilities or any part thereof.

Either the resolution providing for the issuance of revenue bonds or the trust indenture may contain provisions for protecting and enforcing the rights and remedies of the bondholders as may be reasonable and proper and not in violation of law, including covenants setting forth the duties of the Director in relation to the acquisition, construction, improvement, maintenance, operation, repair and insurance of such facilities, and the custody, safeguarding and application of all moneys. The trust indenture may also provide that camping and recreational facilities shall be acquired, constructed, enlarged or improved, and paid for under the supervision and approval of consulting engineers employed or designated by the Director, in the name of the Commonwealth, and satisfactory to the original purchasers of the bonds issued. The trust indenture may further require that the security given by contractors and by any depository of the proceeds of the bonds or revenues of the camping and recreational facilities or other moneys pertaining to the facilities be satisfactory to the purchasers. It shall be lawful for any bank or trust company incorporated under the laws of this Commonwealth to act as depository and to furnish indemnifying bonds or to pledge securities required by the Director. Such indenture may set forth the rights and remedies of the bondholders and of the trustee, and may restrict the individual right of action of bondholders as is customary in trust indentures securing bonds and debentures of corporations.

In addition, the indenture may contain other provisions that the Director deems reasonable and proper for the security of the bondholders.

Code 1950, § 10-105; 1986, c. 498; 1988, c. 891.

The Director shall establish and collect fees and charges for the use of camping and recreational facilities. These revenues shall be pledged to pay the principal of and the interest on revenue bonds issued under the provisions of this chapter. The fees and charges shall be established and adjusted in respect of the aggregate fees and charges for the camping and recreational facilities the revenues of which shall have been pledged to provide a fund sufficient to pay (i) the cost of maintaining, repairing and operating the facilities unless such cost is otherwise provided for, (ii) the bonds and the interest thereon as the bonds become due and (iii) reasonable reserves for such purposes. Such fees and charges shall not be subject to supervision or regulation by any other state commission, board, bureau or agency.

Code 1950, § 10-106; 1966, c. 41; 1986, c. 498; 1988, c. 891.

The fees, charges and revenues derived from any camping and recreational facilities subject to revenue bonds issued under the provisions of this chapter, except charges required to pay the cost of maintaining, repairing and operating such facilities and to provide fund reserves, shall be set aside in a sinking fund. The sinking fund is pledged to and charged with the payment of (i) the interest upon the bonds as it becomes due, (ii) the principal of the bonds as it becomes due, (iii) the necessary charges of paying agents for paying the interest and principal, and (iv) any premium upon bonds retired by call or purchase as provided in this chapter. The use and disposition of the sinking fund shall be subject to regulations provided in the resolution or the trust indenture. Unless otherwise provided in the resolution or trust indenture, the sinking fund shall be a fund for all such bonds without distinction or priority of one bond over another. Any moneys in the sinking fund in excess of an amount equal to one year's interest on all bonds then outstanding may be applied to the purchase or redemption of bonds.

Code 1950, § 10-107; 1966, c. 41; 1988, c. 891.

Any holder of revenue bonds or attached coupons issued under the provisions of this chapter and any trustee under the trust indenture may protect and enforce all rights granted under the laws of the Commonwealth or under the resolution or trust indenture, and may enforce all duties required by this chapter, or by the resolution or trust indenture, to be performed by the Director, including the establishing, charging and collecting of fees and charges for the use of camping and recreational facilities.

Code 1950, § 10-108; 1986, c. 498; 1988, c. 891.

All moneys received pursuant to the authority of this chapter, whether as proceeds from the sale of revenue bonds, as grants or other contributions, or as tolls and revenues, shall be held and applied solely as provided in this chapter. The Director shall, in the resolution or the trust indenture, provide for the payment of the proceeds of the sale of the bonds and the tolls and revenues to be received into the state treasury and carried on the books of the Comptroller in a special account. The Director may provide for the turning over, transfer or paying over of such funds from the state treasury to any officer, agency, bank or trust company, who shall act as trustee of the funds, and hold and apply the fees for the purposes of this chapter subject to such regulation as this chapter and the resolution or trust indenture may provide.

All moneys paid into the state treasury pursuant to the provisions of this chapter are hereby appropriated to the Department for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this chapter. Disbursements and payments of moneys so paid into the state treasury shall be made by the State Treasurer upon warrants of the State Comptroller which he shall issue upon vouchers signed by the Director or his designee.

Code 1950, § 10-109; 1986, c. 498; 1988, c. 891.

The Director is authorized to provide for the issuance of revenue refunding bonds of the Commonwealth, subject to the applicable provisions of this chapter, for the purpose of refunding any revenue bonds issued under the provisions of this chapter and then outstanding, including the redemption premium on the bonds after first obtaining the consent of the Governor.

Code 1950, § 10-110; 1986, c. 498; 1988, c. 891.

The bonds issued pursuant to this chapter shall be legal and authorized investments for banks, savings institutions, trust companies, building and loan associations, insurance companies, fiduciaries, trustees, guardians and for all public funds of the Commonwealth or other political subdivisions of the Commonwealth. Such bonds shall be eligible to secure the deposit of public funds of the Commonwealth and public funds of counties, cities, towns, school districts or other political subdivisions of the Commonwealth. In addition, the bonds shall be lawful and sufficient security for deposits to the extent of their value when accompanied by all unmatured coupons.

1986, c. 498, § 10-112.1; 1988, c. 891; 1996, c. 77.