Title of Regulation: 13VAC5-112. Enterprise Zone Grant Program Regulation (amending 13VAC5-112-460).

Statutory Authority: § 59.1-541 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: November 13, 2019.

Agency Contact: Kyle Flanders, Senior Policy Analyst, Department of Housing and Community Development, Main Street Centre, 600 East Main Street, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 786-6761, FAX (804) 371-7090, TTY (804) 371-7089, or email kyle.flanders@dhcd.virginia.gov.

Summary:

Pursuant to Chapters 119 and 496 of the 2019 Acts of Assembly, the amendment increases to three the number of times the Governor may renew an enterprise zone designation.

Part VIII
Procedures and Requirements for Zone Designations

13VAC5-112-460. Procedures for zone application and designation.

A. Upon recommendation of the Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Governor may designate up to 30 enterprise zones in accordance with the provisions of this section. Such designations are to be done in coordination with the expiration of existing zones designated under earlier Enterprise Zone Program provisions or the termination of designations pursuant to 13VAC5-112-510, 13VAC5-112-520, and 13VAC5-112-530 D.

B. Applications for zone designation will be solicited by the department on a competitive basis in accordance with the following procedures and requirements:

1. An application for zone designation must be submitted on Form EZ-1 to the Director, Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, 600 East Main Street, Suite 300, Richmond, Virginia 23219, on or before the submission deadline established by the department.

2. Each applicant jurisdiction must hold at least one public hearing on the application for zone designation prior to submission of the application to the department. Notification of the public hearing is to be in accordance with § 15.2-2204 of the Code of Virginia, relating to advertising of public hearings. An actual copy of the advertisement must be included in the application.

3. In order to be considered in the competitive zone designation process, an application from a jurisdiction must include all the requested information, be accompanied by a resolution of the local governing body, and be signed by the chief administrator or the clerk to county board of supervisors where there is no chief administrator. The chief administrator or clerk, in signing the application, must certify that the applicant jurisdiction held the public hearing required in subdivision 2 of this subsection.

C. Within 60 days following the application submission deadline, the department shall review and the director shall recommend to the Governor those applications that meet a minimum threshold standard as set by the department and are competitively determined to have the greatest potential for accomplishing the purposes of the program.

D. Enterprise zones designated pursuant to § 59.1-542 of the Code of Virginia will be designated for an initial 10-year period except as provided for in 13VAC5-112-510 and 13VAC5-112-520. Upon recommendation of the director of the department, the Governor may renew zones for up to two three five-year renewal periods.

E. A local governing body whose application for zone designation is denied shall be notified and provided with the reasons for denial.