reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
VA Code § 15.2-3243 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 15.2 - Counties, Cities and Towns|Chapter 32 - Boundary Changes of Towns and Cities|§ 15.2-3243. Hearing and order upon such petition

The special court shall fix a day on which the petition filed pursuant to § 15.2-3241 shall be heard and shall direct the clerk of the court to cause to be summoned the chairman of the board of supervisors of the county and the mayor of the town, who without formal pleadings shall make such defense against the prayer of the petition as they may have. One or more residents or landowners of the territory proposed to be abandoned may appear and set forth reasons why the same should not be done.If the court is satisfied that it will be in the best interest of a majority of the people of the territory proposed to be abandoned and that the general good of the community will not be materially affected, it shall by an order entered in its common-law order book, reciting the fact of the due publication of the petition, that it is in the best interest of a majority of the people of that part of the town proposed to be abandoned, and that the general good of the community will not be materially affected by amendment of the charter, order that the charter of such town be amended accordingly. Whenever such an order is entered, a copy of the order shall be certified to the Secretary of the Commonwealth.The court in its order may make such disposition of the corporate property of the town as may seem to it just and equitable and shall also make such provision as to the payment of any debts or obligations of the town as between the county and the inhabitants of the town as to the court may seem just and equitable.At the next session of the General Assembly following the final determination of such order, the town shall request that the General Assembly amend its charter in accordance with the court order. The effective date of the transfer of territory shall be the effective date of the court order and not the effective date of the Act of Assembly.Code 1950, § 15-160; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-1066; 1970, c. 751; 1978, c. 642; 1997, c. 587.
VA Code § 15.2-3244 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 15.2 - Counties, Cities and Towns|Chapter 32 - Boundary Changes of Towns and Cities|§ 15.2-3244. (Effective until January 1, 2022) Appeal from such order

Any one or more of the petitioners, or the defendants, or any inhabitants of the town, who may feel themselves aggrieved by an order declaring territory to be abandoned as provided by this article, or by the refusal to enter such order, may, at any time within sixty days from the date of the order, upon giving bond for costs, the amount thereof to be fixed by the court, apply to the Supreme Court for a writ of error and supersedeas according to the general law.Code 1950, § 15-161; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-1067; 1997, c. 587.
VA Code § 15.2-3244 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 15.2 - Counties, Cities and Towns|Chapter 32 - Boundary Changes of Towns and Cities|§ 15.2-3244. (Effective January 1, 2022) Appeal from such order

Any one or more of the petitioners, or the defendants, or any inhabitants of the town, who may feel themselves aggrieved by an order declaring territory to be abandoned as provided by this article, or by the refusal to enter such order, may, at any time within sixty days from the date of the order, upon giving bond for costs, the amount thereof to be fixed by the court, apply to the Supreme Court for a writ of error and supersedeas according to the general law.Code 1950, § 15-161; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-1067; 1997, c. 587.
VA Code § 15.2-3245 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 15.2 - Counties, Cities and Towns|Chapter 32 - Boundary Changes of Towns and Cities|§ 15.2-3245. Validation of proceedings

All proceedings prior to July 1, 1960, taken in contraction of the corporate limits of the City of Fairfax are hereby validated, ratified, approved, and confirmed, and all such contractions or attempted contractions of the corporate limits of such city are hereby declared to have been validly created and established, notwithstanding any defects or irregularities in the creation thereof.1960, c. 420, § 15.1-1067.1; 1997, c. 587.
VA Code § 15.2-3300 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 15.2 - Counties, Cities and Towns|Chapter 33 - Immunity of Counties or Parts of Counties from City-Initiated Annexation and City Incorporation|§ 15.2-3300. Purposes of chapter

The purposes of this chapter are: (i) to provide complete immunity from annexation and incorporation of new cities for those counties or tier-cities which by reason of their population density and numbers are providing urban services and (ii) to provide a system by which portions of counties may receive immunity from annexation and incorporation of new cities in the future if qualified pursuant to this chapter.1979, c. 85, § 15.1-977.19:1; 1984, c. 695; 1997, c. 587.
VA Code § 15.2-3301 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 15.2 - Counties, Cities and Towns|Chapter 33 - Immunity of Counties or Parts of Counties from City-Initiated Annexation and City Incorporation|§ 15.2-3301. Initiation of proceeding for declaration of immunity

The governing body of any county or tier-city may, by ordinance passed by a recorded affirmative vote of a majority of the members thereof, petition the circuit court for the county for an order declaring the county or tier-city totally or partially immune, as the case may be, from city-initiated annexation and from the incorporation of new cities within its boundaries.If the petition for total or partial county immunity is filed after the institution of a proceeding for city-initiated annexation of county or tier-city territory or for the incorporation of a new city within the county's or tier-city's boundaries under the provisions of Chapters 32 (§ 15.2-3200 et seq.) or 38 (§ 15.2-3800 et seq.) and before the time limit for pleadings established by the court pursuant to § 15.2-3204 or § 15.2-3805, the proceeding for annexation or incorporation shall be stayed until the court determines the question of total or partial county immunity. The clerk of the circuit court shall give notice of its receipt of a county's or tier-city's petition for immunity to each court in which the county or tier-city may be a party to a city-initiated annexation proceeding or to a proceeding for the incorporation of a new city.1979, c. 85, § 15.1-977.20; 1984, c. 695; 1985, c. 478; 1997, c. 587.
VA Code § 15.2-3302 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 15.2 - Counties, Cities and Towns|Chapter 33 - Immunity of Counties or Parts of Counties from City-Initiated Annexation and City Incorporation|§ 15.2-3302. Criteria for total immunity; judicial determination

A. If, after receipt of a petition for immunity, the circuit court determines that the county or tier-city has a population at the time of the filing of the petition of at least 20,000 persons and a population density of at least 300 persons per square mile, or a minimum population of at least 50,000 persons and a population density of at least 140 persons per square mile, based either on the latest United States census, on the latest population estimates of the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service of the University of Virginia, or on a special census conducted under court supervision, it shall enter an order declaring the total county or tier-city immune from city-initiated annexation and incorporation of new cities.B. If the court determines that the county or tier-city has not met the criteria for immunity as set forth in this section, it shall deny the county's or tier-city's petition.C. In the determination of its population density, a county or tier-city may elect to have excluded from consideration the area of property within its boundaries which is owned by the federal and state governments and the area covered by bodies of water of forty acres or more in size. If a county or tier-city elects to exclude such areas from consideration, any county or tier-city residents residing in such areas must also be excluded in determining the county's or tier-city's population and population density.1979, c. 85, § 15.1-977.21; 1984, c. 695; 1997, c. 587.
VA Code § 15.2-3303 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 15.2 - Counties, Cities and Towns|Chapter 33 - Immunity of Counties or Parts of Counties from City-Initiated Annexation and City Incorporation|§ 15.2-3303. Notice of determination by court; effect on other proceedings

The clerk of the circuit court shall give notice of the court's determination of a county's or tier-city's eligibility for immunity to any court in which proceedings were stayed pending a determination of county or tier-city immunity. If county or tier-city immunity is granted by order of the court, any suits stayed pending a determination of such immunity shall be dismissed. If county or tier-city immunity is not granted by order of the court, such stays shall be dissolved.1979, c. 85, § 15.1-977.22; 1984, c. 695; 1997, c. 587.
VA Code § 15.2-3305 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 15.2 - Counties, Cities and Towns|Chapter 33 - Immunity of Counties or Parts of Counties from City-Initiated Annexation and City Incorporation|§ 15.2-3305. Duration of immunity

After a county or tier-city or part of a county is once granted immunity as provided by this chapter, it shall thereafter retain it.1979, c. 85, § 15.1-977.22:2; 1984, c. 695; 1997, c. 587.
VA Code § 15.2-3306 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 15.2 - Counties, Cities and Towns|Chapter 33 - Immunity of Counties or Parts of Counties from City-Initiated Annexation and City Incorporation|§ 15.2-3306. Limitations to immunity

A. Immunity granted by this chapter shall not be interpreted to prohibit any town annexations, or to prohibit annexations to a city initiated under the provisions of § 15.2-3203, except that no city may commence or be a petitioner in any such proceeding.B. Notwithstanding other provisions of law, including § 15.2-3800, no grant of county immunity shall be interpreted to deny the right of any town, which in 1979 possessed a population in excess of 5,000 persons and was situated in a county possessing a population of 20,000 or more persons and a population density of 300 or more persons per square mile, or a population of 50,000 or more persons and a population density of 140 persons or more per square mile, based either on the United States census, on population estimates of the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service of the University of Virginia, or on a special census conducted under court supervision, to obtain city status. Where a town seeks to become a city under the provisions of this section, the special court shall be limited in its review to a determination of the town's population and population density. Where the court determines that such town has a population of at least 5,000 persons and a density of 200 persons per square mile, it shall enter an order granting the town city status.1979, c. 85, § 15.1-977.23; 1997, c. 587; 2002, c. 199.
VA Code § 15.2-3307 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 15.2 - Counties, Cities and Towns|Chapter 33 - Immunity of Counties or Parts of Counties from City-Initiated Annexation and City Incorporation|§ 15.2-3307. Election of city barred from annexation to be treated as immune county

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any city that is barred or that may hereafter become barred from further annexation may, by resolution passed by a majority vote of its governing body, elect to be treated the same as an immune county for purposes of state police services and for the maintenance and construction of streets and highways. Such election shall be exercised by notifying the Governor of the election at least two years prior to the beginning of the biennium in which it takes effect. If, after a minimum period of eight years following the date upon which such treatment has become effective, a city wishes to terminate such treatment as an immune county, it shall notify the Governor of its intention to return to being treated as a city for such purposes. Such return shall become effective two years after such notification to the Governor.1979, c. 85, § 15.1-977.24; 1997, c. 587.
VA Code § 15.2-3308 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 15.2 - Counties, Cities and Towns|Chapter 33 - Immunity of Counties or Parts of Counties from City-Initiated Annexation and City Incorporation|§ 15.2-3308. (Effective until January 1, 2022) Partial immunity proceedings final for five years; exceptions

No county, having instituted proceedings for immunity for part or parts of the county, shall again seek immunity for substantially the same part or parts of the county within the next five years.Such prohibition shall begin with the date of the final order of the court granting or denying immunity or, in the case of an appeal to the Supreme Court, with the date of the final order of the Supreme Court. The provisions of this section shall not apply to a petition for partial immunity if the previous petition was withdrawn, or was dismissed for any reason other than the merits of the case.The provisions of this section further shall not apply to a county which institutes an immunity proceeding by filing notice with the Commission on Local Government but subsequently fails to petition the court to grant such immunity. In that event, however, the county shall not again institute proceedings for immunity for substantially the same part or parts of the county for at least two years after the date the Commission renders its final report on the initial proceeding.1985, c. 478, § 15.1-977.25; 1997, c. 587.
VA Code § 15.2-3308 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 15.2 - Counties, Cities and Towns|Chapter 33 - Immunity of Counties or Parts of Counties from City-Initiated Annexation and City Incorporation|§ 15.2-3308. (Effective January 1, 2022) Partial immunity proceedings final for five years; exceptions

No county, having instituted proceedings for immunity for part or parts of the county, shall again seek immunity for substantially the same part or parts of the county within the next five years.Such prohibition shall begin with the date of the final order of the court granting or denying immunity or, in the case of an appeal to the Supreme Court, with the date of the final order of the Supreme Court. The provisions of this section shall not apply to a petition for partial immunity if the previous petition was withdrawn, or was dismissed for any reason other than the merits of the case.The provisions of this section further shall not apply to a county which institutes an immunity proceeding by filing notice with the Commission on Local Government but subsequently fails to petition the court to grant such immunity. In that event, however, the county shall not again institute proceedings for immunity for substantially the same part or parts of the county for at least two years after the date the Commission renders its final report on the initial proceeding.1985, c. 478, § 15.1-977.25; 1997, c. 587.
VA Code § 15.2-3401 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 15.2 - Counties, Cities and Towns|Chapter 34 - Voluntary Settlement of Annexation, Transition or Immunity Issues|§ 15.2-3401. Referendum on contracting of debt by counties in voluntary settlement agreements

Before a county, under the terms of a voluntary agreement pursuant to this chapter, contracts a debt pursuant to Article VII, Section 10 (b) of the Constitution of Virginia, the board of supervisors shall, in conformity with Article VII, Section 10 (b) of the Constitution of Virginia, petition the circuit court for the county for an order calling for a special election in the county on the question of contracting such debt.The question on the ballot shall be as follows, provided that the circuit court in its order calling for the election may substitute alternative language necessary to specify the type of agreement or the particular debt which the county proposes to contract under an agreement:"Shall (name of county) be authorized to contract a debt by entering into a contract for the payment (describe the debt or payment) to (name of locality to whom payments are to be made) as a part of the proposed voluntary annexation and immunity settlement agreement between the county and (name of other locality)?[ ] Yes[ ] No"The clerk of the county shall cause a notice of the referendum to be published in a newspaper having general circulation in the county once a week for three consecutive weeks, the first such notice of which must be published not more than sixty days prior to the election and shall post a copy of the notice at the door of the county courthouse.The election shall be held and the results thereof ascertained and certified in accordance with Article 5 (§ 24.2-681 et seq.) of Chapter 6 of Title 24.2. If a majority of the voters of the county voting in such election approve the contracting of such debt, the county may proceed to adopt, by ordinance, the agreement.1985, c. 66, § 15.1-1167.2; 1997, c. 587.
VA Code § 15.2-3500 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 15.2 - Counties, Cities and Towns|Chapter 35 - Consolidation of Localities|§ 15.2-3500. Application of article

The provisions of this article shall be applicable only to the consolidation of like units of local government into a consolidated like unit of local government. As used in this article "like unit" means the consolidation of (i) two or more counties into a consolidated county, (ii) two or more cities into a consolidated city or (iii) two or more towns into a consolidated town.1997, c. 587.
VA Code § 15.2-3501 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 15.2 - Counties, Cities and Towns|Chapter 35 - Consolidation of Localities|§ 15.2-3501. Authority to consolidate counties, cities or towns

Any two or more adjoining like units of local government are hereby authorized to consolidate into a single consolidated like unit of local government.Code 1950, § 15-162; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-1071; 1997, c. 587.
VA Code § 15.2-3502 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 15.2 - Counties, Cities and Towns|Chapter 35 - Consolidation of Localities|§ 15.2-3502. Agreement for consolidation

The governing bodies of any two or more adjoining localities desiring to consolidate into a consolidated locality in accordance with this article may enter into an agreement for the consolidation, setting forth in such consolidation agreement:1. The names of the localities which are proposed to be consolidated;2. The name of the proposed consolidated locality, which name shall be such as to distinguish it from the name of any other like unit of government in Virginia;3. The property, real and personal, belonging to each locality and the fair value thereof in current money of the United States;4. The indebtedness, bonded and otherwise, of each locality;5. The proposed name and location of the county seat of the consolidated county or the address of the administrative offices of the city or town;6. If the counties have different forms of county organization and government, the proposed form of county organization and government of the consolidated county, or if the cities or towns are to adopt the charter of one of the cities or towns, the name of the city or town whose charter is adopted; and7. The other terms of the agreement.The governing body of each of the localities may appoint an advisory committee composed of three persons to assist in the preparation of such agreement and may pay the members of such advisory committee reasonable compensation, approved by the judge of the circuit court for the locality.In counties, no consolidation agreement shall become effective unless approved by a referendum. In cities and towns, the consolidation agreement may include a provision requiring approval by referendum.The original of the consolidation agreement and, if appropriate, a petition on behalf of the several governing bodies asking for a referendum on the question of consolidation shall be filed with the judge or one of the judges of the circuit courts for the localities; there shall be filed with each of the other judges a copy of the consolidation agreement and of the petition.Code 1950, § 15-163; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-1072; 1997, c. 587.
VA Code § 15.2-3503 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 15.2 - Counties, Cities and Towns|Chapter 35 - Consolidation of Localities|§ 15.2-3503. Petition requesting agreement

The voters of any locality whose governing body has not taken the initiative under § 15.2-3502 may require the governing body to do so by filing a petition with the governing body. The petition shall be signed by not less than ten percent of the voters of the locality registered as of January 1 of the year in which the petition is filed, which in no case shall be less than 100 voters, and shall ask the governing body to effect, in accordance with § 15.2-3502, a consolidation agreement with the locality named in the petition and to petition the judge for a referendum on the question. A copy of the petition of the voters shall also be filed with the judge of the circuit court for the locality. If the governing body within six months is unable or for any reason fails to perfect such consolidation agreement, then the judge of the circuit court for the locality shall appoint a committee of five representative citizens of the locality to act for and in lieu of the governing body in perfecting the consolidation agreement and in petitioning for a referendum.Code 1950, § 15-164; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-1073; 1997, c. 587.
VA Code § 15.2-3504 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 15.2 - Counties, Cities and Towns|Chapter 35 - Consolidation of Localities|§ 15.2-3504. Publication of agreement

The governing body of each of the consolidating localities shall cause a copy of the consolidation agreement, or a descriptive summary of the agreement and a reference to the place within the locality where a copy of the agreement may be examined, to be published in each locality with which it is proposed to consolidate at least once a week for four successive weeks in a newspaper having a general circulation therein. A copy of the agreement shall be available for public inspection at the circuit court clerk's office of each of the consolidating localities.Code 1950, § 15-165; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-1074; 1997, c. 587.
VA Code § 15.2-3505 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 15.2 - Counties, Cities and Towns|Chapter 35 - Consolidation of Localities|§ 15.2-3505. Order for election

When the publication of the consolidation agreement in each of the localities is completed, the judge or judges of the circuit courts for the counties and, if appropriate, for the cities or towns shall by order entered of record, in accordance with Article 5 (§ 24.2-681 et seq.) of Chapter 6 of Title 24.2, require the regular election officers of such localities on the day fixed in the order, which day shall be the same in each of the localities proposing to consolidate, to open a poll and take the sense of the qualified voters therein on the question submitted as hereinafter provided. Certification from the owner, editor or manager of each newspaper publishing the agreement shall be proof of publication.Code 1950, § 15-166; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-1075; 1975, c. 517; 1997, c. 587.
VA Code § 15.2-3506 (2021)
2021 Code of Virginia|Title 15.2 - Counties, Cities and Towns|Chapter 35 - Consolidation of Localities|§ 15.2-3506. Conduct of election

The election authorized by § 15.2-3505 shall be conducted in accordance with general law. The ballots used shall be printed and shall contain the following:"Shall ____________________ (here insert names of counties, cities or towns proposing to consolidate) consolidate pursuant to the consolidation agreement?[ ] Yes[ ] No."Code 1950, § 15-167; 1950, p. 395; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-1076; 1997, c. 587.