Title 15.2, Title 15.2. Counties, Cities and Towns

Any subdivision plat recorded prior to January 1, 1975, if otherwise valid, is hereby validated and declared effective even though the technical requirements for recordation existing at the time such plat was recorded were not complied with.

Notwithstanding the provisions of § 15.2-2265, when the streets in a subdivision have not been accepted into the highway system and serve only, or are primarily for, the general welfare of the inhabitants of the subdivision and do not serve as a connector to other public rights-o…

Nothing herein shall be construed as creating an obligation upon any locality to pay for grading or paving, or for sidewalk, sewer, curb and gutter improvements or construction.

A. If the owners of any such subdivision desire to construct in, on, under, or adjacent to any streets or alleys located in such subdivision any gas, water, sewer or electric light or power works, pipes, wires, fixtures or systems, they shall present plans or specifications there…

Any interest in streets, alleys, easements for public rights of passage, easements for drainage, and easements for a public utility granted to a locality as a condition of the approval of a site plan may be vacated according to either of the following methods: 1. By a duly execut…

Where no lot has been sold, the recorded plat, or part thereof, may be vacated according to either of the following methods: 1. With the consent of the designated agent of the locality where the land lies, by the owners, proprietors and trustees, if any, who signed the statement …

In cases where any lot has been sold, the plat or part thereof may be vacated according to either of the following methods: 1. By instrument in writing agreeing to the vacation signed by all the owners of lots shown on the plat and also signed on behalf of the governing body of t…

Any locality may prescribe and charge a reasonable fee not exceeding $150 for processing an application pursuant to § 15.2-2271 or § 15.2-2272 for the vacating of any plat.

The recordation of the instrument as provided under subdivision 1 of § 15.2-2272 or of the ordinance as provided under subdivision 2 of § 15.2-2272 shall operate to destroy the force and effect of the recording of the plat or part thereof so vacated, and to vest fee simple title …

Any locality may provide, as a part of its subdivision ordinance, that the boundary lines of any lot or parcel of land may be vacated, relocated or otherwise altered as a part of an otherwise valid and properly recorded plat of subdivision or resubdivision (i) approved as provide…

The clerk in whose office any plat so vacated has been recorded shall write in plain legible letters across such plat, or the part thereof so vacated, the word "vacated," and also make a reference on the plat to the volume and page in which the instrument of vacation is recorded.

Franklin County may by ordinance require that the clerk of the circuit court for the county, when a division of land creates any parcels equal to or greater than five acres, notify every grantee shown on the recorded deed for such parcel (i) that any roads constructed to serve pa…

Any plat of subdivision recorded in any clerk's office, whether or not pursuant to this article, may be vacated in the manner prescribed by § 15.2-2272 and the provisions of §§ 15.2-2274 and 15.2-2276 shall be applicable to such vacation.

Any locality may by ordinance regulate the building of houses in the locality including the adoption of off-street parking requirements, minimum setbacks and side yards and the establishment of minimum lot sizes. Any locality may by ordinance require that no building be construct…

Any locality may, by ordinance, classify the territory under its jurisdiction or any substantial portion thereof into districts of such number, shape and size as it may deem best suited to carry out the purposes of this article, and in each district it may regulate, restrict, per…

For the purpose of zoning, the governing body of a county shall have jurisdiction over all the unincorporated territory in the county, and the governing body of a municipality shall have jurisdiction over the incorporated area of the municipality.

All zoning regulations shall be uniform for each class or kind of buildings and uses throughout each district, but the regulations in one district may differ from those in other districts.

Zoning ordinances shall be for the general purpose of promoting the health, safety or general welfare of the public and of further accomplishing the objectives of § 15.2-2200. To these ends, such ordinances shall be designed to give reasonable consideration to each of the followi…

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no individual shall knowingly provide sex offender treatment services to a person required to register with the Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry pursuant to Chapter 9 (§ 9.1-900 et seq.) of Title 9.1 in an office or simil…

Zoning ordinances and districts shall be drawn and applied with reasonable consideration for the existing use and character of property, the comprehensive plan, the suitability of property for various uses, the trends of growth or change, the current and future requirements of th…

A. The planning commission of each locality may, and at the direction of the governing body shall, prepare a proposed zoning ordinance including a map or maps showing the division of the territory into districts and a text setting forth the regulations applying in each district. …

A. A zoning ordinance may include, among other things, reasonable regulations and provisions as to any or all of the following matters: 1. For variances or special exceptions, as defined in § 15.2-2201, to the general regulations in any district. 2. For the temporary application …

A. The provisions of this section shall apply to any county or city that had a population growth rate of 10% or more from the next-to-latest to latest decennial census year, based on population reported by the United States Bureau of the Census. However, the requirements of this …

A. Any locality with a population of 50,000 or more shall adopt, maintain, and apply to land within its boundaries at least one zoning district classification that permits a single-family dwelling on a lot with a minimum lot area not exceeding 3,000 square feet. B. Such zoning di…

A zoning ordinance may provide that petitions brought by property owners, contract purchasers or the agents thereof, shall be sworn to under oath before a notary public or other official before whom oaths may be taken, stating whether or not any member of the local planning commi…

A. The provisions of this section shall apply in their entirety to the County of Loudoun. B. Each individual member of the board of supervisors, the planning commission, and the board of zoning appeals in any proceeding before each such body involving an application for a special…

A zoning ordinance shall not require that a special exception or special use permit be obtained for any production agriculture or silviculture activity in an area that is zoned as an agricultural district or classification. For the purposes of this section, production agriculture…

A. As used in this section, unless the context requires a different meaning: "Biomass" means agricultural-related materials including vineyard, grain or crop residues; straws; aquatic plants; and crops and trees planted for energy production. "Small-scale conversion of biomass" m…

No local ordinance shall require as a condition of approval of a subdivision plat, site plan, or plan of development, or issuance of a building permit, that a special exception, special use, or conditional use permit be obtained for the development and construction of residential…

A zoning ordinance shall not require that a special exception or special use permit be obtained in order to erect a tent on private property (i) intended to serve as a temporary structure for a period of three days or less and (ii) that will be used primarily for private or famil…

A. It is the policy of the Commonwealth to preserve the economic vitality of the Virginia wine industry while maintaining appropriate land use authority to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of the Commonwealth and to permit the reasonable expectation of uses…

A. It is the policy of the Commonwealth to preserve the economic vitality of the Virginia beer industry while maintaining appropriate land use authority to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of the Commonwealth and to permit the reasonable expectation of uses…

A. Local restriction upon activities of distilleries licensed pursuant to subdivision 2 of § 4.1-206.1 to market and sell their products shall be reasonable and shall take into account the economic impact on such licensed distillery of such restriction, the agricultural nature of…

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any special use permit that was valid and outstanding as of January 1, 2009, is extended to July 1, 2011, regardless of whether such expiration or schedule exists by operation of statute, proffer, permit, local ordinance, or local custo…

A. A "cemetery" for purposes of this chapter shall have the meaning set forth in § 54.1-2310. B. Nothing in this section shall exempt a licensed funeral home or cemetery from any applicable zoning regulation. C. The following uses shall be included in the approval of a cemetery w…

A. No locality shall regulate the carrying out of any of the following activities at an agricultural operation, as defined in § 3.2-300, unless there is a substantial impact on the health, safety, or general welfare of the public: 1. Agritourism activities as defined in § 3.2-640…

A. An owner of a residential dwelling unit may install a solar facility on the roof of such dwelling to serve the electricity or thermal needs of that dwelling, provided that such installation is (i) in compliance with any height and setback requirements in the zoning district wh…

A. Unless otherwise provided by right, each locality shall require a special exception pursuant to §§ 15.2-2204, 15.2-2286, and 15.2-2288.7 or a siting agreement pursuant to § 15.2-2316.7 and include in its zoning ordinance regulations and provisions consistent with this section …

A. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, general or special, any locality that has adopted a zoning ordinance pursuant to this article shall allow by right, and not require a rezoning or other legislative approval as a precondition to the review or approval of a site pla…

In addition to the powers granted by this chapter, localities may provide by ordinance that the local planning commission, governing body or zoning appeals board may require any applicant for a special exception, or a special use permit, amendment to the zoning ordinance or varia…

A. Localities adopting and enforcing zoning ordinances under the provisions of this article shall provide that in all agricultural zoning districts, or districts having similar classifications regardless of name or designation, where agricultural, horticultural, or forest uses su…

A. Zoning ordinances for all purposes shall consider a residential facility in which no more than eight individuals with mental illness, intellectual disability, or developmental disabilities reside, with one or more resident or nonresident staff persons, as residential occupancy…

A. Zoning ordinances for all purposes shall consider home-based child care as defined in § 22.1-289.02, serving one through four children, exclusive of the provider's own children and any children who reside in the home as residential occupancy by a single family. No conditions m…

A. Zoning ordinances for all purposes shall consider temporary family health care structures (i) for use by a caregiver in providing care for a mentally or physically impaired person and (ii) on property owned or occupied by the caregiver as his residence as a permitted accessory…

Any locality may provide by ordinance for the waiver of any requirements for zoning permits for the operation of a child day program in an office building, defined as any building containing more than two rental units that are rented primarily for retail, commercial, or professio…

A. A local governing body may by ordinance allow a zoning administrator to use an administrative process to approve rezoning applications for affordable housing developments, provided that: 1. At least 75 percent of housing units in the development are affordable housing; 2. The …