Town to Adopt Updated Code

At the next Town Council Regular Meeting on July 20th, Town Council is set to adopt and enact a new code for the Town of Cape Charles.

The update (aligning/deferring Town Code with/to State Code) has been long and expensive. Unable to complete the work at the staff level, an initial contract with Municode was put in place–this contract was supposed to go through the 2021 General Assembly. After the initial work was completed, it had to, of course, be reviewed by the town attorney.

Now into July 2023, the new code is apparently ready for implementation. Once adopted, the new laws will be codified and available for viewing on Municode.

To get a flavor of where citizens stand, Section 4 of the proposed ordinance states:

Section 4. Unless another penalty is expressly provided, every person convicted of a violation of any
provision of the Code or any ordinance, rule or regulation adopted or issued in pursuance thereof
shall be punished by a fine of not more than $2,500.00, or by confinement in jail for not more than
12 months, or by both such fine and confinement. Each act of violation and each day upon which any
such violation shall continue or occur shall constitute a separate offense. The penalty provided by this
section, unless another penalty is expressly provided, shall apply to the amendment of any Code
section, whether or not such penalty is reenacted in the amendatory ordinance. In addition to the
penalty prescribed above, the town may pursue other remedies such as abatement of nuisances,
injunctive relief and revocation of licenses or permits.”

Other changes of note dealt with automotive, weapons, bicycles, gambling, pool halls, and sexual assault.