CODE OF THE COUNTY OF STAFFORD, VIRGINIA

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Published in 1985 by Order of the Board of Supervisors

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OFFICIALS
of
STAFFORD COUNTY
AT THE TIME OF THIS CODIFICATION

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Alvin Y. Bandy
Chairman

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Rebecca L. Reed
Ralph A. Marceron
E. Lloyd Chittum
Lindberg A. Fritter
Philip E. Hornung
Ferris M. Belman, Sr.
Supervisors

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C. M. Williams, Jr.
City Administrator

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Alda L. White
County Attorney

CURRENT OFFICIALS
of
STAFFORD COUNTY

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Robert "Bob" Thomas, Jr.
Chairman

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M.G. "Meg" Bohmke
Jack R. Cavalier
Wendy E. Mauer
Paul V. Milde, III
Laura A. Sellers
Gary F. Snellings
Supervisors

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Anthony J. Romanello
County Administrator

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Charles L. Shumate
County Attorney

PREFACE

This Code constitutes a complete recodification of the ordinances of Stafford County of a general and permanent nature.

Source materials used in the preparation of the Code were the 1979 Stafford County Code, as supplemented through October 5, 1982, and ordinances subsequently adopted by the board of supervisors. In addition, some ordinances adopted prior to October 5, 1982, but not included in a supplement to the 1979 Code, are codified herein. The source of each section is included in the history note appearing in parentheses at the end thereof. The absence of such a note indicates that the section is new and was adopted for the first time with the adoption of the Code, as authorized by section 15.1-37.3 of the Code of Virginia. By use of the Comparative Tables appearing in the back of the volume, the reader can locate any section of the 1979 Code, as so supplemented, and any subsequent ordinance included herein.

The chapters of the Code are arranged in alphabetical order and the sections within each chapter are catchlined to facilitate usage. Footnotes which tie related sections of the Code together and which refer to relevant state laws have been included. A table listing the state law citations and setting forth their location within the Code is included at the back of the volume.

Numbering System

The numbering system used in this Code is the same system used in many state and local government codes. Each section number consists of two component parts separated by a dash, the figure before the dash representing the chapter number and the figure after the dash indicating the position of the section within the chapter. Thus, the first section of chapter 1 is numbered 1-1 and the sixteenth section of chapter 2 is 2-16. Under this system, each section is identified with its chapter and, at the same time, new sections or even whole chapters can be inserted in their proper places, simply by using the decimal system for amendments. By way of illustration, if new material consisting of three sections that would logically come between sections 5-2 and 5-3 is desired to be added, such new sections would be numbered 5-2.1, 5-2.2 and 5-2.3, respectively. New chapters may be included in the same manner. If the new material is to be included between chapters 12 and 13, it will be designated as chapter 12.5. Care should be taken that the alphabetical arrangement of chapters is maintained when including new chapters. New articles and new divisions may be included in the same way or, in the case of articles, may be placed at the end of the chapter embracing the subject, and in the case of divisions, may be placed at the end of the article embracing the subject, the next successive number being assigned to the article or division.

Index

The index has been prepared with the greatest of care. Each particular item has been placed under several headings, some of the headings being couched in lay phraseology, others in legal terminology and still others in language generally used by government officials and employees. There are numerous cross references within the index which stand as guideposts to direct the user to the particular item in which he is interested.

Looseleaf Supplements

A special feature of this Code is the looseleaf system of binding and supplemental service, by which the Code will be kept up-to-date periodically. Upon the final passage of amendatory ordinances, they will be properly edited and the page or pages affected will be reprinted. These new pages will be distributed to holders of copies of the Code, with instructions for the manner of inserting the new pages and deleting the obsolete pages.

The successful maintenance of this Code up-to-date at all times will depend largely upon the holder of the volume. As revised sheets are received, it will then become the responsibility of the holder to have the amendments inserted according to the attached instructions. It is strongly recommended by the publishers that all such amendments be inserted immediately upon receipt to avoid misplacing them and, in addition, that all deleted pages be saved and filed for historical reference purposes.

Acknowledgments

The publication of this Code was under the direct supervision of Robert D. Ussery, Vice President, of the Municipal Code Corporation, Tallahassee, Florida. Credit is gratefully given to the other members of the publishers' staff for their sincere interest and able assistance throughout the project.

The publishers are most grateful to Alda L. White, County Attorney, and Ross G. Horton, former County Attorney, for their cooperation and assistance during the progress of the work on this Code. It is hoped that their efforts and those of the publishers have resulted in a Code of Ordinances which will make the active law of the county readily accessible to all citizens and which will be a valuable tool in the day-to-day administration of the county's affairs.

MUNICIPAL CODE CORPORATION

Tallahassee, Florida

ORDINANCE ADOPTING CODE
NUMBER 085-77

An Ordinance Adopting and Enacting a New Code for the County of Stafford, Virginia; Establishing the Same; Providing for the Repeal of Certain Ordinances Not Included Therein; Providing for the Manner of Amending and Supplementing Such Code; and Providing When Such Code and This Ordinance Shall Become Effective.

Whereas, on November 1, 1982 the Board of Supervisors entered into a contract with Municipal Code Corporation for the recodification of the Stafford County Code; and

Whereas, Municipal Code Corporation has compiled, edited and printed a current edition of the Code of the County of Stafford, Virginia; and

Whereas, the Board of Supervisors desires to adopt and enact the new edition of the County Code as the official Code of the County of Stafford, Virginia;

Now, Therefore, Be It Ordained on this the 17th day of December, 1985:

SECTION 1. The Code of Ordinances, consisting of Chapters 1 to 28, each inclusive, is hereby adopted and enacted as the "Code of the County of Stafford, Virginia," which Code shall supersede all general and permanent ordinances of the County adopted on or before November 22, 1983, to the extent provided in Section 2 hereof.

SECTION 2. All provisions of such Code shall be in full force and effect from and after November 22, 1983, and all ordinances of a general and permanent nature of the County, adopted on final passage on or before November 22, 1983, and not included in such Code or recognized and continued in force by reference therein, are hereby repealed from and after the effective date of such Code.

SECTION 3. The repeal provided for in Section 2 hereof shall not be construed to revive any ordinance or part thereof that has been repealed by a subsequent ordinance which is repealed by this ordinance.

SECTION 4. A violation of any provision of such Code, shall be punished as provided in Section 1-11 of such Code, or as provided in any other applicable section of the Code.

SECTION 5. Any and all additions and amendments to such Code, when passed in such form as to indicate the intention of the Board of Supervisors to make the same a part of such Code, shall be deemed to be incorporated in such Code, so that reference to such Code shall be understood and intended to include such additions and amendments.

SECTION 6. In case of the amendment of any section of such Code for which a penalty is not provided, the general penalty, as provided in Section 1-11 of such Code, shall apply to the section as amended, or in case such amendment contains provisions for which a penalty, other than the aforementioned general penalty, is provided in another section in the same chapter, the penalty so provided in such other section shall be held to relate to the section so amended, unless such penalty is specifically repealed therein.

SECTION 7. Any ordinance adopted after November 22, 1983, which amends or refers to ordinances which have been codified in such Code, shall be construed as if they amend or refer to like provisions of such Code.

ADOPTED: December 17, 1985

/s/ C. M. Williams, Jr.
County Administrator