Virginia Code 56-575.8: Powers and duties of the private entity
A. The private entity shall have all power allowed by law generally to a private entity having the same form of organization as the private entity and shall have the power to develop or operate the qualifying project and collect lease payments, impose user fees or enter into service contracts in connection with the use thereof.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 56-575.8
- Comprehensive agreement: means the comprehensive agreement between the private entity and the responsible public entity required by § 56-575. See Virginia Code 56-575.1
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
- Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
- Operate: means to finance, maintain, improve, equip, modify, repair, or operate. See Virginia Code 56-575.1
- Private entity: means any natural person, corporation, general partnership, limited liability company, limited partnership, joint venture, business trust, public benefit corporation, non-profit entity, or other business entity. See Virginia Code 56-575.1
- Public entity: means the Commonwealth and any agency or authority thereof, any county, city or town and any other political subdivision of the Commonwealth, any public body politic and corporate, or any regional entity that serves a public purpose. See Virginia Code 56-575.1
- Qualifying project: means (i) any education facility, including, but not limited to a school building, any functionally related and subordinate facility and land to a school building (including any stadium or other facility primarily used for school events), and any depreciable property provided for use in a school facility that is operated as part of the public school system or as an institution of higher education; (ii) any building or facility that meets a public purpose and is developed or operated by or for any public entity; (iii) any improvements, together with equipment, necessary to enhance public safety and security of buildings to be principally used by a public entity; (iv) utility and telecommunications and other communications infrastructure; (v) a recreational facility; (vi) technology infrastructure, services, and applications, including, but not limited to, telecommunications, automated data processing, word processing and management information systems, and related information, equipment, goods and services; (vii) any services designed to increase the productivity or efficiency of the responsible public entity through the use of technology or other means, (viii) any technology, equipment, or infrastructure designed to deploy wireless broadband services to schools, businesses, or residential areas; (ix) any improvements necessary or desirable to any unimproved locally- or state-owned real estate; or (x) any solid waste management facility as defined in § 10. See Virginia Code 56-575.1
- Responsible public entity: means a public entity that has the power to develop or operate the applicable qualifying project. See Virginia Code 56-575.1
- Service contract: means a contract entered into between a public entity and the private entity pursuant to § 56-575. See Virginia Code 56-575.1
- Service payments: means payments to the private entity of a qualifying project pursuant to a service contract. See Virginia Code 56-575.1
- User fees: Fees charged to users of goods or services provided by the government. In levying or authorizing these fees, the legislature determines whether the revenue should go into the treasury or should be available to the agency providing the goods or services.
B. The private entity may own, lease or acquire any other right to use or operate the qualifying project.
C. Any financing of the qualifying project may be in such amounts and upon such terms and conditions as may be determined by the private entity. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the private entity may issue debt, equity or other securities or obligations, enter into sale and leaseback transactions and secure any financing with a pledge of, security interest in, or lien on, any or all of its property, including all of its property interests in the qualifying project.
D. In operating the qualifying project, the private entity may:
1. Make classifications according to reasonable categories for assessment of user fees; and
2. With the consent of the responsible public entity, make and enforce reasonable rules to the same extent that the responsible public entity may make and enforce rules with respect to similar facilities.
E. The private entity shall:
1. Develop or operate the qualifying project in a manner that is acceptable to the responsible public entity, all in accordance with the provisions of the interim or comprehensive agreement pursuant to § 56-575.9 or 56-575.9:1;
2. Keep the qualifying project open for use by the members of the public at all times, or as appropriate based upon the use of the facility, after its initial opening upon payment of the applicable user fees, lease payments, or service payments; provided that the qualifying project may be temporarily closed because of emergencies or, with the consent of the responsible public entity, to protect the safety of the public or for reasonable construction or maintenance activities. In the event that a qualifying project is technology infrastructure, access may be limited as determined by the conditions of the interim or comprehensive agreement;
3. Maintain, or provide by contract for the maintenance or upgrade of the qualifying project, if required by the interim or comprehensive agreement;
4. Cooperate with the responsible public entity in making best efforts to establish any interconnection with the qualifying project requested by the responsible public entity; and
5. Comply with the provisions of the interim or comprehensive agreement and any lease or service contract.
F. Nothing shall prohibit an private entity of a qualifying project from providing additional services for the qualifying project to public or private entities other than the responsible public entity so long as the provision of additional service does not impair the private entity’s ability to meet its commitments to the responsible public entity pursuant to the interim or comprehensive agreement as provided for in § 56-575.9 or 56-575.9:1.