A. After July 1, 1979, no refiner of petroleum products shall operate any major brand, secondary brand, or unbranded retail outlet in the Commonwealth of Virginia with company personnel, a parent company, or under a contract with any person, firm, or corporation, managing a service station on a fee arrangement with the refiner; however, such refiner may operate such retail outlet with the aforesaid personnel, parent, person, firm, or corporation if such outlet is located not less than one and one-half miles from the nearest retail outlet operated by any dealer or jobber/distributor, as measured by the most direct surface transportation route from the gas pump at the refiner’s facility that is nearest a gas pump at the dealer’s or jobber/distributor’s facility; and provided, that once in operation, no refiner shall be required to change or cease operation of any retail outlet by the provisions of this section.

Terms Used In Virginia Code 59.1-21.16:2

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Dealer: means any person who purchases motor fuel for sale to the general public for ultimate consumption. See Virginia Code 59.1-21.10
  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Person: includes any individual, corporation, partnership, association, cooperative, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, government, political subdivision, or any other legal or commercial entity and any successor, representative, agent, agency, or instrumentality thereof. See Virginia Code 1-230
  • Refiner: means any person engaged in the refining of crude oil to produce motor fuel and includes any affiliate of such person. See Virginia Code 59.1-21.10
  • Retail: means the sale of petroleum products for purposes other than resale. See Virginia Code 59.1-21.10

During the period July 1, 1990, through June 30, 1991, no refiner may construct and operate with company personnel as defined in this section any new major brand, secondary brand, or unbranded retail outlet in the Commonwealth of Virginia, except on any property purchased or under option to purchase by March 1, 1990.

B. Every refiner of petroleum products shall apportion all gasoline and diesel fuel among their purchasers during periods of shortages on an equitable basis.

C. No new lease, lease renewal, new supply contract, or new supply contract renewal under this chapter shall impose purchase or sales quotas.

D. The provisions of this section shall not be applicable to retail outlets operated by producers or refiners on July 1, 1979.

1979, c. 306; 1984, c. 720; 1990, c. 907; 1995, c. 664; 2003, c. 410; 2012, c. 351.

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