Virginia Code 15.2-3520: Counties, cities and towns specified; alternative consolidations
By complying with the requirements specified in this article, any one or more counties or cities having a common boundary, or any county and all incorporated towns located entirely therein, may consolidate into a single county or city; however, no consolidation instituted under the provisions of this article shall result in the creation of consolidated cities, unless such proposed consolidation is reviewed by the Commission on Local Government and a special court established pursuant to § 15.2-3522 and they meet the criteria set out in subsection A of § 15.2-3526.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 15.2-3520
- City: means an independent incorporated community which became a city as provided by law before noon on July 1, 1971, or which has within defined boundaries a population of 5,000 or more and which has become a city as provided by law. See Virginia Code 1-208
- County: means any existing county or such unit hereafter created. See Virginia Code 15.2-102
- incorporated towns: as used in this article means only those incorporated towns which have held municipal elections in the ten years preceding the date of the filing of a petition for a referendum pursuant to § 15. See Virginia Code 15.2-3520
- local government: shall be construed to mean a county, city, or town as the context may require. See Virginia Code 15.2-102
The term “incorporated towns” as used in this article means only those incorporated towns which have held municipal elections in the ten years preceding the date of the filing of a petition for a referendum pursuant to § 15.2-3529.
If two or more like units of local government propose to consolidate into a consolidated like unit of local government, they shall do so in accordance with the provisions of Article 1 of this chapter.
This article applies to the (i) consolidation of unlike units of local governments such as a county and a city joining to form either a county or city; (ii) consolidation of like units of local governments into an unlike unit of local government such as a county and a county joining to form a city; or (iii) other combinations provided for herein.
1979, c. 85, § 15.1-1130.1; 1983, c. 4; 1997, c. 587.