Within 30 days after passage of the resolution creating a district in accordance with the procedures provided in § 15.2-4802, the board of supervisors shall appoint a district advisory board of six members composed as follows: three members selected by the board of supervisors, each of whom either resides on or owns land within the district, and three members who own land within the district who are nominated by the landowners who were co-petitioners to the board of supervisors in the establishment of the district, voting on a basis weighted by either acreage or assessed value of real property owned therein, as the case may be. Such elections shall be conducted by the commission by mail ballot of owners of land within the district. One member from each group of three as so selected or nominated shall be appointed for a term of four years, one for three years, and one for two years. Beginning two years after the creation of the district, elections shall be held annually on the anniversary of the creation of the district in the same manner described in the preceding provisions of this section. Members may be reelected or reappointed, provided that they, or the corporation or partnership they represent, own land zoned for commercial or industrial use within the district at the time of their reelection or reappointment. Whenever a vacancy occurs with respect to a member initially nominated by landowners who were petitioners to the board of supervisors, or any successor of such a member, then the board of supervisors shall appoint a new board member who is a landowner within the district and who is among a list of nominees made by those remaining board members who were initially nominated by those petitioning landowners or their successors.
The members shall serve without pay, but the commission shall provide the advisory board with facilities for holding meetings, and the commission shall appropriate funds needed to defray the reasonable expenses and fees of the board, which shall not exceed $20,000 annually, including without limitation expenses and fees arising out of the preparation of the annual report. Such appropriations shall be based on an annual budget submitted by the board, and approved by the commission, sufficient to carry out its responsibilities under this article. The board shall fix the time for holding regular meetings, but it shall meet at least once every year. Special meetings of the board shall be called by the chairman or by two members of the board upon written request to the secretary of the board. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum, but no action of the board shall be valid unless authorized by at least five of the six members appointed to the board.
The board shall present an annual report to the commission on the transportation needs of the district and on the activities of the board, and the board shall present to the commission special reports on transportation matters that it deems necessary concerning any contract or other matters mentioned in § 15.2-4805.
1997, c. 587.