Title 15.2, Title 15.2. Counties, Cities and Towns

Notwithstanding any provision contained in this title to the contrary, wherever this title provides for or authorizes a lien upon real estate for a local assessment, fee, rent or charge, other than real estate taxes, not paid when due, such lien shall not bind or affect a subsequ…

Any person failing to pay, pursuant to an ordinance, any account due a locality on or before its due date, other than taxes which are provided for in Title 58.1, may, at the option of the locality, incur a penalty thereon of ten dollars or an amount not exceeding ten percent. The…

Any locality may by ordinance provide for a fee, not exceeding $50, for the uttering, publishing or passing of any check, draft, or order, including an electronic payment order, for payment tendered for taxes or any other sums due to the locality, which is subsequently returned w…

All levies and fees imposed or increased by a locality pursuant to the provisions of Chapters 21 (§ 15.2-2100 et seq.) or 22 (§ 15.2-2200 et seq.) shall be adopted by ordinance. The advertising requirements of subsection F of § 15.2-1427, or § 15.2-2204, as appropriate, shall app…

In addition to any requirements that a locality advertise legal notices in a newspaper having a general circulation in the locality, such notices may also be published on the locality's World Wide Web site.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, general or special, a locality may give notice by regular mail in any instance in which two or more notices are required for the same action, the first notice is required to be sent by certified or registered mail, and at least one noti…

Localities shall not charge any fee to any church, synagogue, or other place of worship unless authorized by general law or special act of the General Assembly. Nothing in this section shall apply to any fire prevention inspection fees.

No locality shall have the authority to prohibit the display of political campaign signs on private property if the signs are in compliance with zoning and right-of-way restrictions applicable to temporary nonpolitical signs, if the signs have been posted with the permission of t…

No locality shall require, prior to the issuance of any permit, certificate, or license, including a building permit or a license for a business, profession, or child care facility, that the governing board of an association subject to the Property Owners' Association Act (§ 55.1…

By resolution adopted at a regular meeting, any political subdivision, board of zoning appeals, or other local government board, commission, or authority may fix the day or days to which a regular meeting shall be continued if the chairman, or vice-chairman if the chairman is una…

No charter shall be granted to a locality by the General Assembly and no charter of a locality shall be amended by the General Assembly except as provided in this chapter or in Chapter 34 (§ 15.2-3400 et seq.) of this title.

A locality may provide for holding an election to be conducted as provided in § 24.2-681 et seq. of Title 24.2 to determine if the voters of the locality desire that it request the General Assembly to grant to the locality a new charter or to amend its existing charter. At least …

In lieu of the election provided for in § 15.2-201, a locality requesting the General Assembly to grant to it a new charter or to amend its existing charter may hold a public hearing with respect thereto, at which citizens shall have an opportunity to be heard to determine if the…

The passage of any legislation granting or amending any charter of a locality shall be conclusive evidence of compliance with the requirements of this chapter.

Cities and towns shall have all powers set forth in Article 1 (§ 15.2-1100 et seq.) of Chapter 11, known as the uniform charter powers. Such powers do not need to be set out or incorporated by reference in a city or town charter. Counties shall have all powers set forth in Articl…

Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the statutes within this chapter shall not be used as authorization for ordering or holding any election or referendum the results of which would cause or result in the abolition of any office set forth in Article VII, Section…

No bill to enact or amend a charter which has the effect of abolishing any office set forth in Article VII, Section 4 of the Constitution of Virginia shall be considered unless a referendum, elsewhere authorized by law, has been conducted in accordance with the provisions of § 24…

The boundaries of municipal corporations remain as now established unless changed as provided in this title. No charter of any municipal corporation shall contain the metes and bounds of such municipal corporation, but the boundaries shall be incorporated therein by reference to …

No county charter shall contain the description of the county's boundaries.

A. Every claim cognizable against any county, city, or town for negligence shall be forever barred unless the claimant or his agent, attorney, or representative has filed a written statement of the nature of the claim, which includes the time and place at which the injury is alle…

A. Any county may adopt an optional form of county government in accordance with the referendum provisions of § 15.2-301, subject to the limitations specified in Chapters 3 through 8 of this title. B. Other provisions of law in conflict with Chapters 3 through 8 of this title sha…

A. A county may adopt one of the optional forms of government provided for in Chapters 4 through 8 of this title only after approval by voter referendum. The referendum shall be initiated by (i) a petition filed with the circuit court for the county signed by at least ten percent…

A form of government approved by the voters in accordance with § 15.2-301 shall become effective on January 1 following the election of members of the governing body under the provisions of § 15.2-303.

If voters approve the adoption of an optional form of government in accordance with § 15.2-301, the members of the governing body shall be elected at the next succeeding November general election. The members' terms shall commence on January 1 following the election.

All other officers of such county shall continue to hold office until their successors are appointed and have qualified. The term of office of any person who holds an office abolished by the form of government adopted shall terminate as soon as his powers and duties have been tra…

A county may change from one optional form to another optional form, or to any other form of county government prescribed by Article VII of the Constitution, only by following the procedures set out in § 15.2-301, subject to any limitations specified in Chapters 3 through 8 of th…

If any election has been held in a county to determine whether such county shall adopt a form of county government provided for in Chapters 4 through 8 of this title, or if any election has been held in a county which has adopted such form of county government to determine whethe…

Any county which has adopted an optional form of government under the authority of prior acts shall continue to operate as though created under the terms of this chapter.

The form of county organization and government provided for in this chapter shall be known as the county board form. The provisions of this chapter shall apply only to counties which have adopted the county board form.

Any county may adopt the county board form of government in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 3 (§ 15.2-300 et seq.) of this title.

A. The powers and duties of the county as a body politic and corporate shall be vested in a board of county supervisors ("the board"). B. The board shall consist of one member elected from the county at large by the qualified voters of the county and one member from each magister…

A. The board shall be the policy-determining body of the county and shall be vested with all the rights and powers conferred on boards of supervisors by general law, not inconsistent with the form of county organization and government herein provided. B. The board may require of …

A. The board shall, except as otherwise provided in § 15.2-408 and except as the board may authorize any officer or the head of any office to appoint employees under such officer or in such office, appoint all officers and employees, including deputies and assistants, in the admi…

Any activity which is not assigned by this form of county organization and government shall be assigned by the board to the appropriate officer or employee of the county, and the board may reassign, transfer or combine any such activities.

A. The board shall appoint a county administrator and fix his compensation. He shall be appointed with due regard to merit only, and need not be a resident of the county at the time of his appointment. No board member shall, during the time for which he is elected, be chosen coun…

A. The board may by resolution designate the county administrator as clerk of the board. In such case and upon the qualification of the county administrator authorized by this article the county clerk of such county shall be relieved of his duties in connection with the board and…

A. The attorney for the Commonwealth, the county clerk, the sheriff, the commissioner of the revenue and the treasurer of the county in office immediately prior to the day upon which the county board form becomes effective in the county shall continue, unless sooner removed, as a…

The board may by resolution require the commissioner of revenue of such county to prepare and make all tax bills, in accord with all items shown on the land books, personal property books and income assessment books for the current year, and deliver the bills to the treasurer of …

A. The county school board and the division superintendent of schools shall exercise all the powers conferred and perform all the duties imposed upon them by general law. B. The county school board shall be composed of not less than three nor more than six members chosen by the b…

The county health officer shall be chosen by the board of county supervisors from a list of eligibles furnished by the State Board of Health. He shall exercise all the powers conferred and shall perform all the duties imposed upon the local health officer and perform such other d…

The board of county supervisors shall select three qualified citizens of the county, one of whom may be a member of the board of county supervisors, who shall constitute the local board of social services; alternatively, the board of county supervisors may choose a board of socia…

The department of extension and continuing education shall be established for the purpose of conducting noncredit educational programs and disseminating useful and practical information pursuant to the provisions of § 23.1-2608 et seq.

A. The county shall have a county purchasing agent. The county administrator shall, unless and until the board selects a county purchasing agent or designates some other officer to act as county purchasing agent, exercise the powers conferred and perform the duties imposed upon t…

The board shall, except as otherwise provided in this chapter, establish a schedule of compensation for officers and employees which shall, so far as practical, provide uniform compensation for like service. The compensation prescribed shall be subject to such limitations as may …

The county officers shall give such bonds as required by general law, except that the treasurer's bond shall be in such penalty as the court or judge requires, but not less than fifteen percent of the amount to be received annually by him. In addition thereto, the board may fix a…

The board shall require an annual audit of the books of every county officer who handles public funds to be made by an accountant who is not a regular officer or employee of the county and who is thoroughly qualified by training and experience. An audit by the Auditor of Public A…