Sec. 13. General powers of council.
The council of the city, except as hereinbefore provided, shall
have power within said city to control and manage the fiscal and
municipal affairs of the city and all property, real and personal,
belonging to said city; they shall have power to provide a revenue
for the city, and appropriate the same to its expenses, also
to provide the annual assessments of taxable persons and property
in the city, and it may make such ordinances, orders, and bylaws
relating to the foregoing powers of this section as it shall
deem proper and necessary. They shall likewise have power to
make such ordinances, by-laws, orders and regulations as it may
deem desirable to carry out the following powers which are hereby
vested in them:
First. To close, extend, widen, narrow, lay out, grade, improve
and otherwise alter streets and public alleys in the said city, and
have them properly lighted and kept in good order, and it may
make or construct sewers or ducts through the streets or public
grounds of the city, and through any place, or places whatsoever,
when it may be deemed expedient by all the said councils. The
land included in any street that is closed shall revert to the abutting
owners on either side of the same, each receiving one-half
thereof. That is, the new line of each abutter shall be the middle
of the former street. The said council may have over any street
or alley in the street, which has been, or may be ceded to the city,
like authority as over other streets or alleys, and may prevent or
remove any structure, obstruction or encroachment over, or under,
or in a street or alley, or any sidewalk thereof.
Second. To prevent the cumbering of the streets, avenues,
walks, public squares, lanes, alleys, or bridges in any manner
whatsoever; to compel the occupant or owner of buildings or
grounds to remove snow, dirt or rubbish from the sidewalks in
front thereof.
Third. To extinguish and prevent fires, prevent property
from being stolen, and to compel citizens to render assistance to
the fire department in case of need, and to establish, regulate
and control a fire department for said city; to regulate the size
of materials, and construction of buildings hereafter erected, in
such manner as the public safety and convenience may require;
to remove, or require to be removed, any building, structure, or
addition thereto which, by reason of delapidation, defect of structure,
or other causes, may have, or shall, become dangerous to
life or property, or which may be erected contrary to law; to establish
and designate from time to time fire limits, within which
limits wooden buildings shall not be constructed, removed, added
to or enlarged, and to direct that all future buildings within such
limits shall be constructed of stone, natural or artificial, concrete,
brick or iron.
Fourth. To regulate and prescribe the breadth of tires upon
the wheels of wagons, carts, and vehicles of every kind and description
used upon the streets of said city.
Fifth. To provide for the preservation of the general health
of the inhabitants of said city, make regulations to secure the
same, prevent the introduction or spreading of contagious or infectious
diseases, and prevent and suppress diseases generally; to
provide and regulate hospitals within or without the city limits,
and to enforce the removal of persons afflicted with contagious or
infectious diseases to hospitals provided for them; to provide for
the appointment and organization of a board of health or other
board to have the powers of a board of health for said city, with
the authority necessary for the prompt and efficient performance
of its duties, with power to invest any or all the officials or employees
of such department of health with such powers as the police
officers of the city have; to regulate the burial, cremation, or
disposition of the dead; to compel the return of births and deaths
to be made to its health department, and the return of all burial
permits to such department.
Sixth. To acquire by purchase, condemnation, or otherwise,
either within or without the city, lands to be appropriated, improved
and kept in order as place for the interment of the dead,
and may charge for the use of the grounds in said places of interment,
and may regulate the same; to prevent the burial of the
dead in the city; except in public burying grounds; to regulate
burials in said grounds; to require the keeping and return of bills
of mortality by the keepers (or owners) of all cemeteries, and
shall have power to acquire by purchase, condemnation, or otherwise,
according to law, such lands, and in such quantity as it may
deem proper or necessary for the purpose of burying the dead.
Seventh. To establish a quarantine ground within or without
the city limits, and such quarantine regulations against infectious
and contagious diseases as the said councils may see fit, subject to
the laws of the State, and of the United States.
Eighth. To require and compel the abatement and removal, of
all nuisances within the said city, or upon any property owned by
said city, without its limits, at the expense of the person or persons
causing the same, or the occupant or owner of the ground
whereon the same may be; to prevent and regulate slaughter
houses, and soap and candle factories within said city, or the exercise
of any dangerous, offensive or unhealthy business, trade or
employment therein; to regulate the transportation of all articles
through the streets of the city; to compel the abatement of smoke
and dust; to regulate the location of stables, and the manner in
which they shall be constructed and kept.
Ninth. If any ground in the said city shall be subject to be covered
by stagnant water, or if the owner or occupant thereof shall
permit any offensive or unwholesome substance to remain or accumulate
thereon, the said councils may cause such ground to be
filled up, raised, or drained, or may cause such substance to be
covered or removed therefrom, and may collect the expense of so
doing from the said owner or occupant by distress or sale, in the
same manner in which taxes levied upon real estate for the benefit
of said city are authorized to be collected; provided, that reasonable
notice shall be first given to the said owner or occupant or
his agent. In case of non-resident owners, who have no agent in
said city, such notice may be given by publication for not less than
ten days, in any newspaper published in said city, such publication
to be at the expense of said owner, and cost thereof to be
collected as a part of the expense hereinbefore provided for.
Tenth. To direct the location of all buildings for storing gunpowder
or other explosive or combustible substance; to regulate
or prohibit the sale and use of dynamite, gunpowder, fire-crackers,
kerosene oil, gasoline, nitro-glycerine, camphene, burning fluid,
and all explosive or combustible materials, the exhibition of
fireworks, the discharge of firearms, the use of candles and
lights in barns, stables and other buildings, the making of bonfires
and the carrying of concealed weapons.
Eleventh. To prevent the running at large in said city of all
animals and fowls, and to regulate and prohibit the keeping or
raising of the same within said city, and to subject the same to
such confiscation, levies, regulations and taxes as it may deem
proper.
Twelfth. To prevent the riding or driving of animals at improper
speed, to regulate the speed and manner of use upon the
streets of said city of all animals or vehicles; to prevent the flying
of kites, throwing of stones, or the engaging in any employment
or sport in the streets or public alleys, dangerous or annoying
to the public, and to prohibit and punish the abuse of animals.
Thirteenth. To restrain and punish drunkards, vagrants,
medicants and street beggars.
Fourteenth. To prevent vice and immorality; to preserve public
peace and good order, to prevent and quell riots, disturbances
and disorderly assemblage; to suppress houses of ill-fame, and
gaming houses, to prevent lewd, indecent or disorderly conduct
or exhibitions in the city, and to expel from said city persons
guilty of such conduct.
Fifteenth. To prevent, prohibit or regulate the coming into
the city from points either within, or beyond the limits of the
State, of paupers or persons having no ostensible means of support,
or persons who may be dangerous to the peace or safety of
the city; and for this purpose may require any railroad company,
or the owners of any conveyances bringing any such person
to, or leaving him in said city, to enter into bond with satisfactory
security, that such person shall not become chargeable
to the city within one year from the date of his arrival, or may
compel such company, or owner, to take any such person back
to the city whence he was brought, and may compel any such
person to leave the city, if he has not been in the city more than
ninety days before the order is given.
Sixteenth. And the said council shall also have power to make
such other and additional ordinances as it may deem necessary
for the general welfare of said city; and nothing herein contained
shall be construed to deprive said city of any of the powers
conferred upon it, either by general or special laws of the
State of Virginia, except in so far as the same may be inconsistent
with the provisions of this charter.
Seventeenth. Said council shall have power to require and
take from the city's business manager, chief of police, treasurer,
auditor, commissioner of the revenue, and all other bonded officers,
bonds with security and in such penalty as they may see
fit, which said bonds shall be made payable to the city by its corporate
name, and conditioned for the faithful discharge of their
duties; said bonds shall be entered on the record of the council
and shall be filed with the clerk of the corporation court of the
city.
Eighteenth. Said council shall have power to erect, or authorize
or prohibit the erection of gas works, waterworks, or electric
light works in or near the city, and to regulate the same.
Nineteenth. To prohibit the pollution of water which may be
provided for the use of the city.
Twentieth. To pass all by-laws, rules and ordinances, not
repugnant to the Constitution and laws of the State, which they
may deem necessary for the good order and government of the
city, the management of its property, the conduct of its affairs,
the peace, comfort, convenience, order, morals, health, and protection
of its citizens or their property, including authority to
keep a city police force; and to do such other things, and pass
such other laws as may be necessary or proper to carry into full
effect any power, authority, capacity, or jurisdiction, which is,
or shall be granted to, or vested in said city, or officers thereof,
or which may be necessarily incident to a municipal corporation;
and to enable the authorities of said city more effectually to enforce
the provisions of this section, and any other powers conferred
upon them by this charter, their jurisdiction, civil and
criminal, is hereby declared to extend one mile beyond the corporate
limits of said city.
Twenty-first. To create a floating debt not exceeding one hundred
thousand dollars when, by a vote of the total membership
of the council, the council has passed a resolution declaring it expedient
to do so, and when the creating of the floating debt thereby
provided for is for the purpose of installing, or extending,
one or more public utilities, which shall constitute an asset, or
assets, at least equal in value to the amount expended thereon,
which utility, or utilities, shall materially add to the service rendered
by the city to its taxpayers and other citizens; and it shall
be the duty of the council to provide in the next bond issue for
the bonding of the floating debt thus created, and failure to do
this shall suspend this clause.
