The Page County Board of Supervisors finds that certain classes
of high technology business activities have special economic significance
to the County due to the nature of the technology developed or employed,
their interrelationship with other Page County based federal and private
organizations/businesses, and their potential for high growth in employment
and capital investment. The Page County Board of Supervisors further
finds that the most appropriate method of offering incentives to certain
classes of technology businesses is to create a Technology Zone, as
authorized in § 58.1-3850 of the Code of Virginia (1950),
as amended, in which zone inducements may be offered to encourage
such technology businesses to relocate to the County. The County has
determined that the establishment of this Technology Zone will improve
economic conditions, hasten redevelopment, and benefit the welfare
of its citizens.
The Page County Board of Supervisors hereby creates a Technology
Zone comprised of the territory described in Exhibit One to this ordinance
("zone"). This chapter shall have no effect upon any other land.
The Technology Zone shall have no effect on any business within
the zone unless the business owner files a petition with the Board
of Supervisors requesting relief under this chapter and identifying
the relief sought.
A. Determination of eligibility shall be made by the Board of Supervisors.
Upon approval, the Board of Supervisors shall submit a written report
to the Page County Director of Finance of such determination and shall
include therein the name and address of the qualifying business ("qualified
technology business") and the incentives for which the business is
qualified.
B. In order to qualify for local incentives under this chapter, a business
must be located within the boundaries of the zone and conform to all
applicable zoning.
C. A business must be, at the time of application, and remain, during
eligibility, current in all local, state, and federal taxes and appropriate
user fees. The business must certify the same to the Page County Board
of Supervisors at the time of application and annually thereafter.
The qualified technology business shall be allowed to prepay
all tangible personal property taxes due on tangible personal property
located in the zone for up to a ten-year period based on the tax rate
in effect at the time of the approval of the tax incentive for the
qualified technology business. In the event that Page County increases
its tax rate on tangible persona1 property during such ten-year period,
the qualified technology business shall not be liable for any additional
taxes, and any excess taxes which would normally be owed due to the
increased tax rate shall be forgiven. Page County shall benefit from
all such prepayments of taxes by having use of the funds prior to
the due date, and loss of any potential tax increase will be offset
by the County's use of such funds. In addition, the Board of
Supervisors may offer such other incentives to qualified technology
businesses as it determines, from time to time, is in the best interest
of Page County.
The Board of Supervisors may impose reasonable conditions upon
the relief offered. Any conditions shall be stated in an agreement
satisfactory to the County Attorney. Such agreement must be fully
executed before any relief can become effective. Nothing in this chapter
shall mandate the grant of any relief by the Board of Supervisors.
Still, should a petitioner believe that the Board of Supervisors'
denial of relief violates the United States Constitution, the Virginia
Constitution, or the Code of Virginia, the petitioner may file an
appeal to the Board of Supervisors within 10 days of the denial. Otherwise,
a denied petitioner's only relief shall be to file a new petition
with the Board of Supervisors requesting relief.