Title 15.2, Title 15.2. Counties, Cities and Towns

A. In addition to the authority granted to localities pursuant to any applicable charter provision or other provision of law, whenever a locality is authorized to acquire real or personal property or property interests for a public use, it may do so by exercise of the power of em…

The governing body of any locality may acquire by condemnation title to (i) land, buildings and structures, (ii) any easement thereover or (iii) any sand, earth, gravel, water or other necessary material for the purpose of opening, constructing, repairing or maintaining a road or…

Except where otherwise authorized by any applicable charter provision, a locality shall exercise the power of eminent domain in the manner, and in accordance with the procedures, set out in Chapter 2 (§ 25.1-200 et seq.) or Chapter 3 (§ 25.1-300 et seq.) of Title 25.1, except tha…

A. Condemnation proceedings may be instituted when: 1. the locality and owner cannot agree on the compensation to be paid or other terms of purchase or settlement; 2. the owner is legally incapacitated; 3. either the owner or his whereabouts is unknown; or 4. the owner is unable …

A. When a condemnation is authorized by § 15.2-1901, a locality may enter upon and take possession of property before the conclusion of condemnation proceedings, using the procedures in Chapter 3 (§ 25.1-300 et seq.) of Title 25.1, for public purposes of (i) streets and roads, (i…

A. When a county is authorized by subsection A of § 15.2-1904 to use the procedures set forth in Chapter 3 (§ 25.1-300 et seq.) of Title 25.1, it shall comply either with the requirements of subsection B or subsection C. B. 1. No property shall be entered upon and taken by any co…

Condemnation of existing water or sewage disposal systems shall be governed by the provisions of Chapter 19.1 (§ 15.2-1908 et seq.) of this title so far as applicable. The provisions of § 25.1-102 shall not apply in the case of condemnation of an existing water or sewage disposal…

Upon compliance with the applicable provisions of Chapter 2 (§ 25.1-200 et seq.) of Title 25.1, cities and towns may acquire by condemnation any lands or rights-of-way necessary for maintaining, protecting, or providing supplies of water for public use or for laying water pipes, …

Notwithstanding any other provision of a local government charter or other special act, when authorization is required by federal or state law for any project affecting wetlands and the authorization is conditioned upon compensatory mitigation for adverse impacts to wetlands, no …

In any proceedings instituted by any city or county to acquire a waterworks system by condemnation pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 2 (§ 25.1-200 et seq.) of Title 25.1, as authorized by § 15.2-1906 and §§ 15.2-2146, 15.2-2147, and 15.2-2148, after the body determining just …

If in order to pay the amount fixed by the body determining just compensation it will be necessary for the city or county to issue and sell its bonds, such resolution filed shall so state, and shall further state that the council or other governing body proposes promptly to take …

The necessary and appropriate action for the issuance and sale of such bonds may be taken: (i) whenever an order, decree or judgment of the court confirming the report of the body determining just compensation has become final and not subject to review by writ of error or appeal;…

If a statement, as provided for in § 15.2-1910, is filed by each defendant, no appeal or writ of error shall thereafter be allowed such defendant. 1938, p. 49; Michie Code 1942, § 4387a; Code 1950, § 25-50; 2003, c. 940.

When such report is finally confirmed or when such defendant or defendants have filed in such proceedings the statement or statements as provided by § 15.2-1910, the court shall, upon motion of any party to the proceedings, after notice to all other parties thereto, fix a reasona…

If the bonds that any such city or county proposes to issue in order to raise the money necessary to pay the amount fixed in the report of the body determining just compensation will be revenue bonds requiring approval by the affirmative vote of a majority of the qualified voters…

In the event that such an election is held and the proposed bond issue is not approved therein, or if approved and for any reason the bonds proposed to be issued by any such city or county cannot be sold upon terms which, in the opinion of the city council or other governing body…

In the event that any such city or county fails to pay the amount fixed and ascertained by the report of the body determining just compensation, as directed by the court and within the time, or any extension thereof, allowed by the court as provided by § 15.2-1912, the proceeding…

A. Notwithstanding any exceptions that may be filed to the report of the body determining just compensation or the pendency of proceedings on the exceptions, or any appeal or writ of error that may be contemplated or may be pending, or the pendency of any other matters in such pr…

A. Nothing contained in this chapter, except as otherwise provided, shall apply to any highway, road, street or other public right-of-way which constitutes a part of any system of state highways; however, any highway for which a locality receives highway maintenance funds pursuan…

Every locality may lay out, open, extend, widen, narrow, establish or change the grade of, close, construct, pave, curb, gutter, plant and maintain shade trees on, improve, maintain, repair, clean and light: streets, limited access highways, express highways, roads, alleys, bridg…

Every locality proposing to open or widen any public right-of-way by taking a part of any lot or other subdivision of property in such manner that the remnant thereof would, in the opinion of the governing body, be so small or of such shape as to be unsuited for the erection of a…

Whenever the council of any city having a population of more than 100,000 seeks to acquire land for projecting roads, streets and avenues or for extending any of its existing roads, streets and avenues of uniform width into the territory adjacent to such city, it may acquire the …

A city or town may construct, improve and maintain, or aid in the construction, improvement and maintenance of streets, roads, highways, bridges and underpasses outside the city or town in order to facilitate public travel and traffic into and out of the city or town or any prope…

No street, alley or public highway not now actually improved and open to public travel shall be opened or maintained through, on or over any land lying in any city or town which belongs to the Commonwealth, without first obtaining the consent of the General Assembly, anything in …

In addition to (i) the powers contained in the charter of any locality, (ii) any powers now had by such governing bodies under the common law or (iii) powers by other provisions of law, public rights-of-way in localities may be altered or vacated on motion of such governing bodie…

The governing body of any locality may prescribe and charge a reasonable fee not exceeding $100 for processing an application pursuant to § 15.2-2006.

Notwithstanding the provisions of § 15.2-2006, the City of Virginia Beach may by ordinance appoint three to five viewers for terms of one year to view each and every street or alley proposed to be altered or vacated during the term. The notice requirements of § 15.2-2204 shall be…

Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, general or special, any locality, as a condition to a vacation or abandonment, may require the fractional portion of its public rights-of-way and easements to be purchased by any abutting property owner. The price shall be no greater…

A locality may prevent any unlawful obstruction of or encroachment over, under or in any street, highway, road, alley, bridge, viaduct, subway, underpass or other public right-of-way or place; may provide penalties for maintaining any such unlawful obstruction or encroachment; ma…

Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A of § 15.2-2000, any locality may, by ordinance, provide that the owner of any property adjacent to the right-of-way of any street, highway, road, alley, bridge, viaduct, subway, underpass, or other public right-of-way or place shall,…

Any locality may authorize owners or occupants of property abutting upon any public rights-of-way, within such limitations as the locality may prescribe, to construct and maintain in, upon and over such public rights-of-way, awnings, fire escapes, shutters, signs, cornices, gutte…

Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A of § 15.2-2000, localities may authorize owners of property with roadside vegetation described in § 15.2-2009.1 or buildings or structures encroaching under, upon and over any public rights-of-way therein, within such limitations as …

A locality may prescribe and charge a fee up to $150 for processing an application pursuant to § 15.2-2011.

Any city, any town which receives highway maintenance funds pursuant to § 33.2-319, or any county which receives highway maintenance funds pursuant to § 33.2-366 may permit the temporary use of public rights-of-way for other than public purposes and close the rights-of-way for pu…

The chief administrative officer of any locality or, if there is none, then the chairman or mayor, may temporarily close any public right-of-way in the locality when in his judgment the public safety so requires. Such temporary closing shall not extend past the time of the next m…

Any city or town may provide for the issuance of permits, under such terms and conditions as they may impose, for the use of streets, highways, roads, alleys, bridges, viaducts, subways and underpasses and other public rights-of-way and places by railroads, buses, taxicabs and ot…

Any city or town may regulate the services rendered to the public and rates charged therefor by any person using the streets, highways, roads, alleys, bridges, viaducts, subways, underpasses or other public rights-of-way or places for the rendition of such services, which are not…

No street railway, gas, water, steam or electric heating, electric light or power, cold storage, compressed air, viaduct, conduit, telephone or bridge company, nor any corporation, association, person, or partnership engaged in these or like enterprises, shall be permitted to use…

Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A of § 15.2-2000, any person or corporation, except a public service corporation, that occupies or uses any streets, avenues, parks, bridges or any other public places or public property or any public easement of a county, in a manner …

Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A of § 15.2-2000, every locality may name streets, roads and alleys. Such names shall take precedence over any other designation except those primary highways conforming to § 33.2-213, and shall be employed in references to property ab…

Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A of § 15.2-2000, counties may install and maintain suitable lights on public rights-of-way in such counties, and pay the costs of such installation and maintenance.

Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A of § 15.2-2000, every locality requiring curbs along its streets that incorporate accessible routes for pedestrian use, such as existing or proposed sidewalks, shall require that curb ramps be constructed at intersections for use by …

Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A of § 15.2-2000, any county (i) whose roads are not a part of the state secondary highway system, (ii) which has the urban county executive form of government, or (iii) is adjacent to a county which has the urban county executive form…

Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A of § 15.2-2000, or any other provision of law, a county operating under the urban county executive form of government may by ordinance develop a program to issue resident permits or stickers to residents of a designated area that wil…

Any county may expend so much of its general revenues as its governing body by majority vote of its elected members deems appropriate for the construction and repair of public roads not in the primary or secondary state highway system and may own and operate the properties and eq…

Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A of § 15.2-2000, every locality, by ordinance, may require that each building that fronts on a right-of-way be numbered and such number be displayed on the primary or accompanying building or in a manner that is easily readable from t…