Title 15.2, Title 15.2. Counties, Cities and Towns

A special court appointed pursuant to this chapter shall investigate all matters contained in the report certified to the court under § 15.2-4002, and any other matters it deems pertinent to the purpose of the inquiry. The court shall fix a time and place for a public hearing on …

If the special court determines that the city no longer qualifies for city status, it shall enter an order changing the city to a town. The court shall have authority to impose such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate to ensure an orderly transition from city status to t…

When a city becomes a town under the provisions of this chapter, its ordinances shall become the ordinances of the town, insofar as they are applicable and consistent with law, until they are repealed, and the existence of such city as an independent city of the Commonwealth shal…

A city may change to town status in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

A. Any city in this Commonwealth with a population at the time of the latest United States decennial census of less than 50,000 people, after fulfilling the requirements of Chapter 29 (§ 15.2-2900 et seq.), may by ordinance passed by a recorded majority vote of all the members th…

Voters equal in number to fifteen percent or more of the registered voters of the city as of January 1 of the year in which the petition is filed may petition the circuit court for the city, stating that it is desirable that such city make the transition to town status. All of th…

In any proceedings instituted under the provisions of this chapter, the adjoining county shall be made party to the case. Any qualified voter or property owner of the city or adjoining county may by petition become party to the proceedings.

The special court shall by order fix a time within which a qualified voter, property owner, political subdivision, or other interested party not served may become a party to proceedings instituted under this chapter, and thereafter no such petition shall be received except for go…

The special court shall, prior to hearing any case under this chapter, direct the attorneys for the parties to appear before it or, in its discretion, before a single judge, for a conference to consider: 1. Simplification of the issues; 2. Amendment of pleadings and filing of add…

A. The special court shall enter an order granting town status if, after hearing the evidence, the court finds that: 1. The city has a current population of less than 50,000 people; 2. The adjoining county or counties have been made party defendants to the proceedings; 3. The pro…

The special court may, in its discretion, direct any appropriate state agency, in addition to the Commission on Local Government, to gather and present evidence, including statistical data and exhibits, for the court, to be subject to the usual rules of evidence. The court may de…

Appeals may be made to the Court of Appeals as provided in §§ 15.2-3221 and 15.2-3222, which shall apply mutatis mutandis. Any judgment of the Court of Appeals rendered pursuant to this section may be appealed to the Supreme Court, which, if it grants the petition for appeal, sha…

In any proceedings brought under the provisions of this chapter, the governing body of the city, may, by ordinance or resolution, decline to accept eligibility for town status on the terms and conditions imposed by the special court at any time prior to twenty-one days after entr…

In the event the special court determines the city to be ineligible for town status or in the event that town status is declined under the provisions of § 15.2-4109, no subsequent proceedings shall be brought under the provisions of this chapter within five years of the date of t…

The special court in its order granting town status shall specify the effective date of transition from city status to town status, but in no event shall such date be sooner than six months from the date of the court order.

A. If a proposed charter for the resulting town has been approved by the General Assembly for adoption pending order of the special court pursuant to this chapter, such proposed charter shall be the charter of the town upon approval of the transition from city to town status. B. …

Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, general or special, a town created under this chapter shall not return to its previous independent city status.

Unless otherwise provided by agreement of the governing bodies of the city and county, or by order of the special court pursuant to § 15.2-4106, a town created under this chapter shall remain liable for all of the bonded indebtedness, current debts, obligations, and liabilities i…

When a city becomes a town under the provisions of this chapter, its ordinances shall become the ordinances of the town, insofar as they are applicable, and consistent with law, until they are repealed, and the existence of such city as an independent city of the Commonwealth sha…

When a city becomes a town under the provisions of this chapter and the police department or sheriff's department of the former city ceases to exist, officers of the former city police department or sheriff's department shall be entitled to purchase motorcycles that previously be…

In any transition under the provisions of this chapter, if a regional library system existed between a former city and the county surrounding it, or if the former city continues to operate an independent library, the Commonwealth shall continue state aid to the former regional li…

For a period of two years from the effective date of a court order granting town status to a city making the transition from city status to town status, the town shall not file an annexation notice with the Commission on Local Government pursuant to § 15.2-2907, nor shall it inst…

If at the time a city becomes a town under the provisions of this chapter there are any pending actions or proceedings by or against the city, or if after a city becomes a town under the provisions of this chapter an action or proceeding out of a cause of action which arose prior…

Upon the effective date of the transition from city to town status, all criminal prosecutions then pending therein, whether by indictment, warrant or other complaint, and all suits, actions, motions, warrants, and other proceedings of a civil nature, with all the records of the c…

A. The special court created pursuant to § 15.2-4101 shall not be dissolved after rendering a decision granting any motion or petition for transition to town status, but shall remain in existence for a period of 10 years from the effective date of any transition order entered, or…

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Regional Cooperation Act."

This chapter is enacted: 1. To improve public health, safety, convenience and welfare, and to provide for the social, economic and physical development of communities and metropolitan areas of the Commonwealth on a sound and orderly basis, within a governmental framework and econ…

For the purposes of this chapter: "Commission" means a planning district commission. Planning district commissions are composed of the duly appointed representatives of the localities or Indian tribes which are parties to the charter agreement. "Indian tribe" means an Indian trib…

A. At any time after the establishment of the geographic boundaries of a planning district, the localities or Indian tribes embracing at least 45 percent of the population within the district acting by their governing bodies may organize a planning district commission by written …

No part of the net earnings of any planning district commission organized under the provisions of this chapter shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, any of its members, officers or other private persons, other than to its member localities as provided in this cha…

A. Upon organization of a planning district commission, pursuant to charter agreement, it shall be a public body corporate and politic, the purposes of which shall be to perform the planning and other functions provided by this chapter, and it shall have the power to perform such…

Planning district commissions may, in addition to and not in limitation of all other powers granted by this chapter: 1. Acquire, lease, sell, exchange, donate and convey its projects, property or facilities in furtherance of the purposes of planning district commissions as set fo…

A. It is the purpose of the planning district commission to encourage and facilitate local government cooperation and state-local cooperation in addressing on a regional basis problems of greater than local significance. The cooperation resulting from this chapter is intended to …

Planning district commissions shall have the following duties and authority: 1. To conduct studies on issues and problems of regional significance; 2. To identify and study potential opportunities for state and local cost savings and staffing efficiencies through coordinated gove…

A. Except in planning districts in which regional planning also is conducted by multi-state councils of government, each planning district commission shall prepare a regional strategic plan for the guidance of the district. The plan shall concern those elements which are of impor…

When the strategic plan becomes effective as the district plan, the planning district commission shall not, except as provided in the plan, establish any policies or take any action which, in its opinion, is not in conformity with the plan.

The strategic plan may be amended in the same manner as provided for the original approval and adoption of the plan. However, if the planning district commission determines that a proposed amendment has less than districtwide significance, such amendment may be submitted only to …

At least once every five years the regional strategic plan shall be revised and formally approved by the planning district commission. The revised plan shall not become effective with respect to the action of the governing body of any locality within the district until adopted by…

In each planning district in which a planning district commission has been organized, the governing body of each locality shall make available to the planning district commission a summary of applications to agencies of the state or federal government for loans or grants-in-aid f…

A planning district commission may cooperate with other planning district commissions, councils of governments, or the legislative and administrative bodies and officials of other districts or localities within or outside a district, so as to coordinate the planning, development …

Each planning district commission shall submit an annual report by September 1 to its member local governments and the Department of Housing and Community Development in accordance with a format prescribed by the Department. The annual report shall contain at a minimum a descript…

A. Upon the organization of a planning district commission, it shall be entitled to receive state financial support to assist it in carrying out its purposes. Such state aid shall be in an amount as provided in the general appropriations act. In order to be allocated such state a…

A. There is hereby created a Regional Cooperation Incentive Fund for the purpose of encouraging inter-local strategic and functional area planning and other regional cooperative activities. In addition, the fund shall have the purpose of fostering inter-local service delivery con…

The Specialized Transportation Incentive Fund (the "Fund") is established and shall be used to assist participating planning districts in the development of coordinated specialized transportation plans and projects. In order to be eligible to receive monies from the Fund, a plann…

The governing bodies of the localities within a planning district are authorized to appropriate or lend funds to the planning district commission.

The planning district commission shall not be required to pay any taxes or assessments upon any project or upon any property acquired or used by it or upon the income therefrom. For purposes of subdivision 4 of § 58.1-609.1, a planning district commission is deemed a "political s…