§ 225-111. Ordinances

(a) Village legislation shall be by ordinance adopted pursuant to 24 V.S.A. chapter 59.

(b) The Village Clerk shall prepare and keep in the Village Clerk's office a book of ordinances which shall contain each Village ordinance, together with a complete index of the ordinances according to subject matter. Failure to comply with this provision shall not invalidate any Village ordinance lawfully passed.

(c) An ordinance adopted by the Board in the manner set forth shall be subject to its repeal by a Village meeting if a petition signed by not less than 10 percent of the voters is filed with the Village Clerk on or before the effective date of the ordinance. The Clerk shall warn a Village meeting to be held within 45 days of the filing, to consider the question of repeal of the ordinance. Until the vote and question of repeal is held, the ordinance shall not become effective. If a majority of the votes cast shall be in favor of repealing the ordinance, the same shall be repealed and no further action shall be taken. If a majority of the votes cast shall be opposed to repeal, the ordinance shall become effective as of 12:01 a.m. on the day following such a vote.

(d) To meet a real public emergency affecting life, health, property, or the public peace, the trustees may adopt one or more emergency ordinances which may be adopted or rejected at the meeting at which they are introduced, but the affirmative vote of at least four trustees shall be required for adoption. Every emergency ordinance shall be repealed as of the 61st day following the day of adoption, but the ordinance may be reenacted if the emergency still exists.

(e) A Village ordinance may provide for any or all of the following:

(1) The general penalty for violation of an ordinance shall be a fine in an amount not to exceed the sum of $500.00 for a single offense;

(2) Each week a violation continues shall constitute a separate offense, the fine not to exceed $100.00 per day for each day the violation continues;

(3) The Village may seek to enjoin the offense by applying to the Superior Court, in addition to the penalty of a fine;

(4) The trustees may authorize the Village Attorney to bring an action in the name of the Village of Hyde Park for any relief which the trustees may deem appropriate for the enforcement of any Village ordinance.

(f) All valid Village ordinances, resolutions, bylaws, and regulations which are in force when this charter becomes effective, shall remain in full force and effect, excepting only those ordinances, resolutions, bylaws and regulations which are inconsistent with this charter. (Added 1999, No. M-11 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. May 9, 2000.)