{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/10.1-620.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/10.1-620.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/10.1-620.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/10.1-620.html"}],"law_id":87289,"edition_id":1,"section_id":87289,"structure_id":14928,"section_number":"10.1-620","catch_line":"Declaration of organization of district; certification to Board","history":"1956, c. 668, \u00a7 21-112.6; 1964, c. 512; 1970, c. 480; 1988, c. 891.","full_text":"If the district directors determine that operation of the proposed watershed improvement district is administratively practicable and feasible, they shall declare the watershed improvement district to be organized and shall record the fact in their official minutes. Following such entry in their official minutes, the district directors shall certify the fact of the organization of the watershed improvement district to the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board, and shall furnish a copy of the certification to the clerk of each county or city in which any portion of the watershed improvement district is situated for recordation in the public land records of each such county or city. The watershed improvement district shall thereupon constitute a political subdivision of this Commonwealth.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":312591,"text":"If the district directors determine that operation of the proposed watershed improvement district is administratively practicable and feasible, they shall declare the watershed improvement district to be organized and shall record the fact in their official minutes. Following such entry in their official minutes, the district directors shall certify the fact of the organization of the watershed improvement district to the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board, and shall furnish a copy of the certification to the clerk of each county or city in which any portion of the watershed improvement district is situated for recordation in the public land records of each such county or city. The watershed improvement district shall thereupon constitute a political subdivision of this Commonwealth.","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":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},"next_section":{"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},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/10.1-620\/","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":false,"permalink":{"id":144593,"object_type":"law","relational_id":87289,"identifier":"10.1-620","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-620","url":"\/10.1-620\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/10.1-620\/","token":"10.1\/I\/6\/3\/10.1-620","dublin_core":{"Title":"Declaration of organization of district; certification to Board","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 10.1-620","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>If the district <span class=\"dictionary\">directors<\/span> determine that operation of the proposed watershed improvement district is administratively practicable and feasible, they shall declare the watershed improvement district to be organized and shall record the <span class=\"dictionary\">fact<\/span> in their official minutes. Following such entry in their official minutes, the district <span class=\"dictionary\">directors<\/span> shall certify the <span class=\"dictionary\">fact<\/span> of the organization of the watershed improvement district to the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board, and shall furnish a copy of the certification to the clerk of each county or city in which any portion of the watershed improvement district is situated for recordation in the public land records of each such county or city. The watershed improvement district shall thereupon constitute a political subdivision of this Commonwealth.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDECLARATION OF ORGANIZATION OF DISTRICT; CERTIFICATION TO BOARD (\u00a7 10.1-620)\n\nIf the district directors determine that operation of the proposed watershed\nimprovement district is administratively practicable and feasible, they shall\ndeclare the watershed improvement district to be organized and shall record the\nfact in their official minutes. Following such entry in their official minutes,\nthe district directors shall certify the fact of the organization of the\nwatershed improvement district to the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation\nBoard, and shall furnish a copy of the certification to the clerk of each county\nor city in which any portion of the watershed improvement district is situated\nfor recordation in the public land records of each such county or city. The\nwatershed improvement district shall thereupon constitute a political\nsubdivision of this Commonwealth.\n\nHISTORY: 1956, c. 668, \u00a7 21-112.6; 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}}