§ 15.2-819 Demolition of historic structures; civil penalty
A county may adopt an ordinance which establishes a civil penalty for the demolition, razing or moving of a building or structure which is located in an historic district or which has been designated by the governing body as an historic structure or landmark without the prior approval from either the architectural review board or the governing body as provided by subdivision A 2 of § 15.2-2306. The civil penalty imposed for a violation of such an ordinance shall not exceed the market value of the property as determined by the assessed value of the property at the time of the destruction or removal of the building or structure. Such value shall include the value of any structures and the value of the real property upon which any such structure or structures were located. Such ordinances may be enforced by the county attorney by bringing an action in the name of the county in the circuit court. Such actions shall be brought against the party or parties deemed responsible for the violation. It shall be the burden of the county to show the liability of the violator by a preponderance of the evidence. Nothing in this section shall preclude action by the zoning administrator under subdivision A 4 of § 15.2-2286 or action by the board under § 15.2-2208.
History
This law was first created in 1991. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 201 of that year’s edition of “Acts of Assembly,” the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1991 “Acts” aren’t available online. It has been modified 1 time. Those modifications are cataloged by “The Acts of Assembly,” a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly’s website will be linked accordingly. That modification is as follows: in 1997, chapter 587.
1991, c. 201, § 15.1-499.2; 1997, c. 587.