{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/15.2-4102.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/15.2-4102.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/15.2-4102.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/15.2-4102.html"}],"law_id":83698,"edition_id":1,"section_id":83698,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4102","catch_line":"Citizen petition for town status","history":"1988, c. 881, \u00a7 15.1-965.10; 1997, cc. 178, 587.","full_text":"Voters equal in number to fifteen percent or more of the registered voters of the city as of January 1 of the year in which the petition is filed may petition the circuit court for the city, stating that it is desirable that such city make the transition to town status. All of the signatures on the petition shall have been made and filed within a twelve-month period. A copy of the petition shall be served on the city attorney and the county attorney, or if there is none, on the attorney for the Commonwealth for the county and on the mayor of the city and the chairman of the board of supervisors of the adjoining counties. A copy of the petition shall be published at least once a week for four successive weeks in a newspaper having general circulation in the city and the adjoining county. The case shall proceed in all respects as though instituted in the manner prescribed in \u00a7 15.2-4101, and the court shall forthwith refer the petition to the Commission on Local Government for review pursuant to Chapter 29 (\u00a7 15.2-2900 et seq.).","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":300011,"text":"Voters equal in number to fifteen percent or more of the registered voters of the city as of January 1 of the year in which the petition is filed may petition the circuit court for the city, stating that it is desirable that such city make the transition to town status. All of the signatures on the petition shall have been made and filed within a twelve-month period. A copy of the petition shall be served on the city attorney and the county attorney, or if there is none, on the attorney for the Commonwealth for the county and on the mayor of the city and the chairman of the board of supervisors of the adjoining counties. A copy of the petition shall be published at least once a week for four successive weeks in a newspaper having general circulation in the city and the adjoining county. The case shall proceed in all respects as though instituted in the manner prescribed in \u00a7 15.2-4101, and the court shall forthwith refer the petition to the Commission on Local Government for review pursuant to Chapter 29 (\u00a7 15.2-2900 et seq.).","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14654,"edition_id":1,"name":"Transition of City to Town Status","identifier":"41","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13062,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:49:10","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:49:10","permalink":{"id":157807,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14654,"identifier":"41","token":"15.2\/III\/41","url":"\/15.2\/III\/41\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13062,"edition_id":1,"name":"Boundary Adjustments and Changes of Status of Counties, Cities and Towns","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12720,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:12","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:12","permalink":{"id":156919,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13062,"identifier":"III","token":"15.2\/III","url":"\/15.2\/III\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12720,"edition_id":1,"name":"Counties, Cities and Towns","identifier":"15.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":151279,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12720,"identifier":"15.2","token":"15.2","url":"\/15.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":78761,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4100","catch_line":"City may change to town status","url":"\/15.2-4100\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4100","metadata":false},{"id":73202,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4101","catch_line":"Ordinance petitioning court for town status; notice of motion","url":"\/15.2-4101\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4101","metadata":false},{"id":83698,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4102","catch_line":"Citizen petition for town status","url":"\/15.2-4102\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4102","metadata":false},{"id":86293,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4103","catch_line":"Parties","url":"\/15.2-4103\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4103","metadata":false},{"id":78957,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4104","catch_line":"Time limit for intervenors; publication of order","url":"\/15.2-4104\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4104","metadata":false},{"id":59306,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4105","catch_line":"Pretrial conference; matters considered","url":"\/15.2-4105\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4105","metadata":false},{"id":63501,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4106","catch_line":"Hearing and decision by court","url":"\/15.2-4106\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4106","metadata":false},{"id":69319,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4107","catch_line":"Assistance of state agencies","url":"\/15.2-4107\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4107","metadata":false},{"id":57092,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4108","catch_line":"Appeals","url":"\/15.2-4108\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4108","metadata":false},{"id":65172,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4109","catch_line":"Declining a grant of town status","url":"\/15.2-4109\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4109","metadata":false},{"id":81033,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4110","catch_line":"Proceedings final for five years","url":"\/15.2-4110\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4110","metadata":false},{"id":79862,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4111","catch_line":"Effective date of transition","url":"\/15.2-4111\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4111","metadata":false},{"id":81773,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4112","catch_line":"Charter for resulting town","url":"\/15.2-4112\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4112","metadata":false},{"id":75673,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4113","catch_line":"Restriction on subsequent change in status","url":"\/15.2-4113\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4113","metadata":false},{"id":56234,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4114","catch_line":"Liabilities and assets of such city","url":"\/15.2-4114\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4114","metadata":false},{"id":58758,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4115","catch_line":"Effect when city becomes town; officers","url":"\/15.2-4115\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4115","metadata":false},{"id":62423,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4115.1","catch_line":"Disposition of police department or sheriff's department motorcycles","url":"\/15.2-4115.1\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4115.1","metadata":false},{"id":63233,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4116","catch_line":"Library aid continued","url":"\/15.2-4116\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4116","metadata":false},{"id":68768,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4117","catch_line":"Temporary restriction on annexation","url":"\/15.2-4117\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4117","metadata":false},{"id":58976,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4118","catch_line":"Effect on pending suits","url":"\/15.2-4118\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4118","metadata":false},{"id":72824,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4119","catch_line":"Effect on jurisdiction of courts","url":"\/15.2-4119\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4119","metadata":false},{"id":63691,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4120","catch_line":"Court granting transition to town status to exist for 10 years","url":"\/15.2-4120\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4120","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":73202,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4101","catch_line":"Ordinance petitioning court for town status; notice of motion","url":"\/15.2-4101\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4101","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":86293,"structure_id":14654,"section_number":"15.2-4103","catch_line":"Parties","url":"\/15.2-4103\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4103","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-4102\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1988. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 881 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 1988 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 1 time. 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. That modification is as follows: in 1997, chapters 178<\/a> and 587<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":68774,"section_number":"15.2-2900","catch_line":"Purpose and intent","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-2900\/"},{"id":73202,"section_number":"15.2-4101","catch_line":"Ordinance petitioning court for town status; notice of motion","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-4101\/"}],"permalink":{"id":157817,"object_type":"law","relational_id":83698,"identifier":"15.2-4102","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4102","url":"\/15.2-4102\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-4102\/","token":"15.2\/III\/41\/15.2-4102","dublin_core":{"Title":"Citizen petition for town status","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-4102","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Voters<\/span> equal in number to fifteen percent or more of the registered voters<\/span> of the city<\/span> as of January 1 of the year in which the petition<\/span> is filed may petition<\/span> the circuit<\/span> court<\/span> for the city<\/span>, stating that it is desirable that such city<\/span> make the transition to town<\/span> status. All of the signatures on the petition<\/span> shall have been made and filed within a twelve-month period. A copy of the petition<\/span> shall be served on the city<\/span> attorney and the county<\/span> attorney, or if there is none, on the attorney for the Commonwealth for the county<\/span> and on the mayor of the city<\/span> and the chairman of the board of supervisors<\/span> of the adjoining counties. A copy of the petition<\/span> shall be published at least once a week for four successive weeks in a newspaper having general circulation in the city<\/span> and the adjoining county<\/span>. The case shall proceed in all respects as though instituted in the manner prescribed in \u00a7 15.2-4101<\/a>, and the court<\/span> shall forthwith refer the petition<\/span> to the Commission on Local Government<\/span> for review pursuant to Chapter 29 (\u00a7 15.2-2900<\/a> et seq.).<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCITIZEN PETITION FOR TOWN STATUS (\u00a7 15.2-4102)\n\nVoters equal in number to fifteen percent or more of the registered voters of\nthe city as of January 1 of the year in which the petition is filed may petition\nthe circuit court for the city, stating that it is desirable that such city make\nthe transition to town status. All of the signatures on the petition shall have\nbeen made and filed within a twelve-month period. A copy of the petition shall\nbe served on the city attorney and the county attorney, or if there is none, on\nthe attorney for the Commonwealth for the county and on the mayor of the city\nand the chairman of the board of supervisors of the adjoining counties. A copy\nof the petition shall be published at least once a week for four successive\nweeks in a newspaper having general circulation in the city and the adjoining\ncounty. The case shall proceed in all respects as though instituted in the\nmanner prescribed in \u00a7 15.2-4101, and the court shall forthwith refer the\npetition to the Commission on Local Government for review pursuant to Chapter 29\n(\u00a7 15.2-2900 et seq.).\n\nHISTORY: 1988, c. 881, \u00a7 15.1-965.10; 1997, cc. 178, 587.","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}}