A home rule charter with limited powers.

A home rule charter with limited powers.

• A. It allows only certain local actions including building codes
• B. It grants unlimited local authority
• C. It requires federal approval for local actions
• D. It restricts authority to specific powers, including building codes

Answer: (D)

A home rule charter with limited powers means the municipality can govern itself in certain areas, but its authority is capped to a defined set of powers. The best description is that it restricts authority to specific powers, including building codes. Building codes are a common local power because towns regulate construction to protect safety and welfare, so including them illustrates the idea of declared, enumerated powers under the charter. This differs from unlimited local authority, which would imply no bounds on what the municipality can do; it also doesn't hinge on federal approval for local actions, which isn't how these charters operate. The emphasis here is on the explicit, restricted grant of authority.

A home rule charter with limited powers means the municipality can govern itself in certain areas, but its authority is capped to a defined set of powers. The best description is that it restricts authority to specific powers, including building codes. Building codes are a common local power because towns regulate construction to protect safety and welfare, so including them illustrates the idea of declared, enumerated powers under the charter. This differs from unlimited local authority, which would imply no bounds on what the municipality can do; it also doesn't hinge on federal approval for local actions, which isn't how these charters operate. The emphasis here is on the explicit, restricted grant of authority.