{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/10.1-616.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/10.1-616.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/10.1-616.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/10.1-616.html"}],"law_id":86266,"edition_id":1,"section_id":86266,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-616","catch_line":"Notice and hearing on petition; determination of need for district and defining boundaries","history":"1956, c. 668, \u00a7 21-112.3; 1964, c. 512; 1970, c. 480; 1988, c. 891.","full_text":"Within thirty days after a petition has been filed with the directors of the soil and water conservation district or districts, they shall cause due notice to be given of a hearing upon the practicability and feasibility of creating the proposed watershed improvement district. All owners of land within the proposed watershed improvement district and all other interested parties shall have the right to attend such a hearing and to be heard. If the directors determine from the hearing that there is need, in the interest of the public health, safety, and welfare, for the organization of the proposed watershed improvement district, they shall record their determination and define the boundaries of the watershed improvement district. The provisions of Article 2 (\u00a7 10.1-502 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of this title shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to such proceedings.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":308964,"text":"Within thirty days after a petition has been filed with the directors of the soil and water conservation district or districts, they shall cause due notice to be given of a hearing upon the practicability and feasibility of creating the proposed watershed improvement district. All owners of land within the proposed watershed improvement district and all other interested parties shall have the right to attend such a hearing and to be heard. If the directors determine from the hearing that there is need, in the interest of the public health, safety, and welfare, for the organization of the proposed watershed improvement district, they shall record their determination and define the boundaries of the watershed improvement district. The provisions of Article 2 (\u00a7 10.1-502 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of this title shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to such proceedings.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14928,"edition_id":1,"name":"Watershed Improvements Districts","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12894,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:50:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:50:51","permalink":{"id":144567,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14928,"identifier":"3","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3","url":"\/10.1\/I\/6\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12894,"edition_id":1,"name":"Flood Protection and Dam Safety","identifier":"6","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12893,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:59","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:59","permalink":{"id":144271,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12894,"identifier":"6","token":"10.1\/I\/6","url":"\/10.1\/I\/6\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12893,"edition_id":1,"name":"Activities Administered by the Department of Conservation and Recreation","identifier":"I","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12740,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:59","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:59","permalink":{"id":143315,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12893,"identifier":"I","token":"10.1\/I","url":"\/10.1\/I\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12740,"edition_id":1,"name":"Conservation","identifier":"10.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":143313,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12740,"identifier":"10.1","token":"10.1","url":"\/10.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":65094,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-614","catch_line":"Establishment within soil and water conservation district authorized","url":"\/10.1-614\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-614","metadata":false},{"id":78696,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-615","catch_line":"Petition for establishment; what to set forth","url":"\/10.1-615\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-615","metadata":false},{"id":86266,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-616","catch_line":"Notice and hearing on petition; determination of need for district and defining boundaries","url":"\/10.1-616\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-616","metadata":false},{"id":61004,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-617","catch_line":"Determination of whether operation of proposed district is feasible; referendum","url":"\/10.1-617\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-617","metadata":false},{"id":71841,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-618","catch_line":"Ballots used in such referendum","url":"\/10.1-618\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-618","metadata":false},{"id":83793,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-619","catch_line":"Consideration of results of referendum; simple majority vote required","url":"\/10.1-619\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-619","metadata":false},{"id":87289,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-620","catch_line":"Declaration of organization of district; certification to Board","url":"\/10.1-620\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-620","metadata":false},{"id":58708,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-621","catch_line":"Establishment of watershed improvement district situated in more than one soil and water conservation district","url":"\/10.1-621\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-621","metadata":false},{"id":72406,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-622","catch_line":"Inclusion of additional territory","url":"\/10.1-622\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-622","metadata":false},{"id":85712,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-623","catch_line":"Governing body of district; trustees","url":"\/10.1-623\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-623","metadata":false},{"id":79912,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-624","catch_line":"Officers, agents and employees; surety bonds; annual audit","url":"\/10.1-624\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-624","metadata":false},{"id":63948,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-625","catch_line":"Status and general powers of district; power to levy tax or service charge; approval of landowners required","url":"\/10.1-625\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-625","metadata":false},{"id":61659,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-626","catch_line":"Levy of tax or service charge; when district in two or more counties or cities; landbooks certified to treasurers","url":"\/10.1-626\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-626","metadata":false},{"id":56972,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-627","catch_line":"Collection of tax or service charge; proceeds kept in special account; expenditures from such account","url":"\/10.1-627\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-627","metadata":false},{"id":73686,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-628","catch_line":"Fiscal powers of governing body; may poll landowners on question of incurring indebtedness or issuing bonds","url":"\/10.1-628\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-628","metadata":false},{"id":75513,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-629","catch_line":"Order authorizing governing body to incur indebtedness or issue bonds","url":"\/10.1-629\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-629","metadata":false},{"id":79764,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-630","catch_line":"Type of indebtedness incurred or bonds issued","url":"\/10.1-630\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-630","metadata":false},{"id":60643,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-631","catch_line":"Annual tax for payment of interest or to amortize indebtedness or bonds","url":"\/10.1-631\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-631","metadata":false},{"id":85104,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-632","catch_line":"Powers granted additional to powers of soil and water conservation district; soil and water conservation district to continue to exercise its powers","url":"\/10.1-632\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-632","metadata":false},{"id":78187,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-633","catch_line":"Power to incur debts and accept gifts, etc.; watershed improvement district to have same powers as soil and water conservation district","url":"\/10.1-633\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-633","metadata":false},{"id":77216,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-634","catch_line":"Question to be submitted to qualified voters; approval required","url":"\/10.1-634\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-634","metadata":false},{"id":70110,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-634.1","catch_line":"Conduct of referenda","url":"\/10.1-634.1\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-634.1","metadata":false},{"id":76303,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-635","catch_line":"Power of eminent domain","url":"\/10.1-635\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-635","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":78696,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-615","catch_line":"Petition for establishment; what to set forth","url":"\/10.1-615\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-615","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":61004,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-617","catch_line":"Determination of whether operation of proposed district is feasible; referendum","url":"\/10.1-617\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-617","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/10.1-616\/","history_text":"<p>This law was first created in 1956. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 668 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1956 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 3 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1964, chapter 512; in 1970, chapter 480; in 1988, chapter 891.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":81801,"section_number":"10.1-502","catch_line":"Soil and Water Conservation Board; composition","order_by":null,"url":"\/10.1-502\/"}],"permalink":{"id":144577,"object_type":"law","relational_id":86266,"identifier":"10.1-616","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-616","url":"\/10.1-616\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/10.1-616\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-616","dublin_core":{"Title":"Notice and hearing on petition; determination of need for district and defining boundaries","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 10.1-616","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>Within thirty days after a <span class=\"dictionary\">petition<\/span> has been filed with the <span class=\"dictionary\">directors<\/span> of the soil and water conservation district or districts, they shall cause due notice to be given of a <span class=\"dictionary\">hearing<\/span> upon the practicability and feasibility of creating the proposed watershed improvement district. All owners of land within the proposed watershed improvement district and all other interested parties shall have the right to attend such a <span class=\"dictionary\">hearing<\/span> and to be heard. If the <span class=\"dictionary\">directors<\/span> determine from the <span class=\"dictionary\">hearing<\/span> that there is need, in the interest of the public health, safety, and welfare, for the organization of the proposed watershed improvement district, they shall record their determination and define the boundaries of the watershed improvement district. The provisions of Article 2 (\u00a7&nbsp;<a class=\"law\" title=\"Soil and Water Conservation Board; composition\" href=\"\/10.1-502\/\">10.1-502<\/a> et seq.) of Chapter 5 of this title shall apply, <span class=\"dictionary\">mutatis mutandis<\/span>, to such proceedings.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nNOTICE AND HEARING ON PETITION; DETERMINATION OF NEED FOR DISTRICT AND DEFINING\nBOUNDARIES (\u00a7 10.1-616)\n\nWithin thirty days after a petition has been filed with the directors of the\nsoil and water conservation district or districts, they shall cause due notice\nto be given of a hearing upon the practicability and feasibility of creating the\nproposed watershed improvement district. All owners of land within the proposed\nwatershed improvement district and all other interested parties shall have the\nright to attend such a hearing and to be heard. If the directors determine from\nthe hearing that there is need, in the interest of the public health, safety,\nand welfare, for the organization of the proposed watershed improvement\ndistrict, they shall record their determination and define the boundaries of the\nwatershed improvement district. The provisions of Article 2 (\u00a7 10.1-502 et\nseq.) of Chapter 5 of this title shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to such\nproceedings.\n\nHISTORY: 1956, c. 668, \u00a7 21-112.3; 1964, c. 512; 1970, c. 480; 1988, c. 891.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}