Code of Virginia
Title 15.2. Counties, Cities and Towns
Title 15.2. Counties, Cities and Towns
5/12/2025
Title 15.2. Counties, Cities and Towns (2024 Updates)
- Subtitle I. General Provisions; Charters; Other Forms and Organization of Counties
- Chapter 1. General Provisions
- § 15.2-107
- Advertisement and enactment of certain fees and levies
- Chapter 2. Local Government Charters
- § 15.2-201
- Charter elections; subsequent procedure; procedure when bill not introduced or fails to pass in General Assembly
- § 15.2-202
- Public hearing in lieu of election; procedure when bill not introduced or fails to pass in General Assembly
- Chapter 3. Optional Forms of County Government; General Provisions
- § 15.2-301
- Petition or resolution asking for referendum; notice; conduct of election
- Chapter 5. County Executive Form of Government
- Article 1. Adoption of County Executive Form
- § 15.2-503
- Referendum on election of the county chairman from the county at large; powers and duties of chairman
- Chapter 6. County Manager Form of Government
- Article 1. Adoption of County Manager Form
- § 15.2-603
- Referendum on election of supervisors by districts or at large
- Chapter 7. County Manager Plan of Government
- Article 2. General Powers; County Manager Plan
- § 15.2-716
- Referendum for establishment of department of real estate assessments; board of equalization; general reassessments in county where department established
- § 15.2-749
- Certain referenda in certain counties
- Subtitle II. Powers of Local Government
- Chapter 9. General Powers of Local Governments
- Article 1. Public Health and Safety; Nuisances
- § 15.2-901
- Locality may provide for removal or disposal of trash and clutter, cutting of grass, weeds, and running bamboo; penalty in certain counties; penalty
- § 15.2-903
- Ordinances taxing and regulating "automobile graveyards," "junkyards," and certain vacant and abandoned property
- § 15.2-907.2
- Authority of locality or land bank entity to be appointed to act as a receiver to repair derelict and blighted buildings in certain limited circumstances
- § 15.2-909
- Authority to require removal, repair, etc., of wharves, piers, pilings, bulkheads, vessels or abandoned, obstructing or hazardous property
- § 15.2-912.4
- Regulation of tobacco, nicotine, and hemp product retail sale locations
- § 15.2-913
- Ordinances regulating certain vendors
- Article 5. Additional Powers
- § 15.2-958.3
- Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing programs
- § 15.2-958.5
- Local funding for community revitalization
- § 15.2-958.6
- Financing the repair of failed septic systems
- § 15.2-961.1
- Conservation of trees during land development process in localities belonging to a nonattainment area for air quality standards
- § 15.2-983
- Creation of registry for short-term rental of property
- § 15.2-983.1
- Establishment by localities of certain real estate contract disclosures prohibited
- § 15.2-987
- Rentals for 30 consecutive days or longer
- Chapter 11. Powers of Cities and Towns
- Article 2. Additional Powers of Cities and Towns
- § 15.2-1127
- Vacant building registration; civil penalty
- Chapter 12. General Powers and Procedures of Counties
- Article 1. Miscellaneous Powers
- § 15.2-1201
- County boards of supervisors vested with powers and authority of councils of cities and towns; exceptions
- Chapter 13. Joint Actions by Localities
- Article 1. Joint Exercise of Powers
- § 15.2-1301
- Voluntary economic growth-sharing agreements
- Chapter 14. Governing Bodies of Localities
- Article 1.1. Salaries
- § 15.2-1414.6
- Permitted salaries; salary increases; reimbursement for expenses
- Article 4. Ordinances and Other Actions by the Local Governing Body
- § 15.2-1427
- Adoption of ordinances and resolutions generally; amending or repealing ordinances
- Chapter 15. Local Government Personnel, Qualification for Office, Bonds, Dual Office Holding and Certain Local Government Officers
- Article 3. Insurance and Legal Defense
- § 15.2-1517
- Insurance for employees and retired employees of localities and other local governmental entities; participation by certain volunteers
- Chapter 16. Local Constitutional Officers, Courthouses and Supplies
- Article 4. Attorney for the Commonwealth
- § 15.2-1627.5
- Coordination of multidisciplinary response to child sexual abuse and the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of adults
- § 15.2-1627.6
- Coordination of multidisciplinary response to human trafficking
- Chapter 17. Police and Public Order
- Article 1. General Provisions
- § 15.2-1702
- Referendum required prior to establishment of county police force
- § 15.2-1703
- Referendum to abolish county police force
- § 15.2-1707
- Decertification of law-enforcement officers and jail officers
- § 15.2-1708
- Notice of decertification; decertification review process
- § 15.2-1719
- Disposal of unclaimed property in possession of sheriff or police
- Chapter 18. Buildings, Monuments and Lands Generally
- Article 1. Purchase, Sale, Etc., of Real Property
- § 15.2-1804.1
- (For applicability, see Acts 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 473, cl. 2) Building by locality; high performance standards
- Chapter 20. Streets and Alleys
- Article 2. Vacation, Etc., of Public Rights-of-Way
- § 15.2-2006
- Alteration and vacation of public rights-of-way; appeal from decision
- Chapter 21. Franchises; Sale and Lease of Certain Municipal Public Property; Public Utilities
- Article 1. Franchises; Sale and Lease of Certain Public Property
- § 15.2-2101
- Ordinance proposing grant of franchise, etc., to be advertised
- § 15.2-2105
- How amendments made to franchise, etc.; notice required
- Article 1.1. Provision of Cable Television Services by Certain Localities
- § 15.2-2108.7
- Public hearings on feasibility study; notice
- Article 1.2. Licensing and Regulation of Cable Television Systems
- § 15.2-2108.21
- Ordinance cable franchises
- Article 2. General Provisions for Public Utilities
- § 15.2-2114
- Regulation of stormwater
- Article 2.1. Disconnection Provisions for Public Utilities
- § 15.2-2121.1
- Definitions
- § 15.2-2121.2
- Disconnection suspension for utilities
- § 15.2-2121.3
- Notice procedures for nonpayment; disconnecting utility service
- Chapter 22. Planning, Subdivision of Land and Zoning
- Article 1. General Provisions
- § 15.2-2204
- Advertisement of plans, ordinances, etc.; joint public hearings; written notice of certain amendments
- § 15.2-2209.1:2
- Extension of land use approvals for solar photovoltaic projects
- Article 6. Land Subdivision and Development
- § 15.2-2259
- Local planning commission to act on proposed plat
- § 15.2-2260
- Localities may provide for submission of preliminary subdivision plats; how long valid
- § 15.2-2270
- Vacation of interests granted to a locality as a condition of site plan approval
- § 15.2-2271
- Vacation of plat before sale of lot therein; ordinance of vacation
- § 15.2-2272
- Vacation of plat after sale of lot
- Article 7. Zoning
- § 15.2-2286
- Permitted provisions in zoning ordinances; amendments; applicant to pay delinquent taxes; penalties
- § 15.2-2292.2
- Waiver of zoning permit requirements; child day programs
- § 15.2-2306
- Preservation of historical sites and architectural areas; civil penalty
- § 15.2-2307
- Vested rights not impaired; nonconforming uses
- Article 7.1. Transfer of Development Rights
- § 15.2-2316.2
- Localities may provide for transfer of development rights
- Article 8. Road Impact Fees
- § 15.2-2321
- Adoption of road improvements program
- Chapter 24. Service Districts; Taxes and Assessments for Local Improvements
- Article 1. Service Districts
- § 15.2-2400
- Creation of service districts
- § 15.2-2401
- Creation of service districts by court order in consolidated cities
- § 15.2-2403.3
- Stormwater service districts; allocation of revenues
- Article 2. Taxes or Assessments for Local Improvements
- § 15.2-2405
- How imposed
- § 15.2-2409
- How notice given; objections
- Chapter 25. Budgets, Audits and Reports
- § 15.2-2506
- Publication and notice; public hearing; adjournment; moneys not to be paid out until appropriated
- § 15.2-2507
- Amendment of budget
- § 15.2-2512.1
- Local fiscal distress; determination by Auditor of Public Accounts; state intervention
- Chapter 26. Public Finance Act
- Article 2. Provisions Applicable to All Bonds
- § 15.2-2606
- Public hearing before issuance of bonds
- § 15.2-2610
- Request for referendum filed with court; order for election; notice
- Article 6. Judicial Determination of Validity of Bonds
- § 15.2-2652
- Service by publication of motion for judgment; parties defendant
- § 15.2-2653
- Contesting issuance of bonds; notice and hearing; service on member of governing body, etc.
- Subtitle III. Boundary Adjustments and Changes of Status of Counties, Cities and Towns
- Chapter 29. Commission on Local Government
- § 15.2-2903
- General powers and duties of Commission
- Chapter 32. Boundary Changes of Towns and Cities
- Article 3. Contraction of Corporate Limits
- § 15.2-3236
- Council may enact ordinance
- § 15.2-3242
- Parties defendant and publication of such petition
- Chapter 34. Voluntary Settlement of Annexation, Transition or Immunity Issues
- § 15.2-3400
- Voluntary settlements among local governments
- § 15.2-3401
- Referendum on contracting of debt by counties in voluntary settlement agreements
- Chapter 35. Consolidation of Localities
- Article 1. Consolidation of Like Units of Local Government
- § 15.2-3504
- Publication of agreement
- Chapter 36. Incorporation of Towns by Judicial Proceeding
- § 15.2-3600
- Petition for incorporation of community; appointment of special court
- Chapter 38. Transition of Towns to Cities
- § 15.2-3805
- Time limit for intervenors; publication of order
- Chapter 39. Transition of Counties to Cities
- § 15.2-3913
- Public hearing on charter; notice and publication; adoption of charter by governing body
- Subtitle IV. Other Governmental Entities
- Chapter 43. Agricultural and Forestal Districts Act
- § 15.2-4311
- Review of districts
- § 15.2-4313
- Proposals as to land acquisition or construction within district
- Chapter 44. Local Agricultural and Forestal Districts Act
- § 15.2-4405
- Creation of districts of local significance
- Chapter 49. Industrial Development and Revenue Bond Act
- § 15.2-4904
- Directors; qualifications; terms; vacancies; compensation and expenses; quorum; records; certification and distribution of report concerning bond issuance
- Chapter 51. Virginia Water and Waste Authorities Act
- Article 4. Financing
- § 15.2-5136
- Rates and charges
- Article 6. Community Development Authorities
- § 15.2-5156
- Hearing; notice
- Chapter 54. Electric Authorities Act
- § 15.2-5403
- Creation of electric authority; referendum
- Chapter 54.1. Virginia Wireless Service Authorities Act
- § 15.2-5431.25
- Rates and charges
- Chapter 57. Park Authorities Act
- § 15.2-5704
- Powers of authority
- Chapter 58. Virginia Baseball Stadium Authority
- § 15.2-5806
- Public hearings; notice; reports
- Chapter 64. Virginia Regional Industrial Facilities Act
- § 15.2-6402
- Procedure for creation of authorities
- Chapter 75. Land Bank Entities Act
- § 15.2-7502
- Public hearing required prior to creation or designation of a land bank entity
