{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/15.2-4301.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/15.2-4301.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/15.2-4301.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/15.2-4301.html"}],"law_id":78071,"edition_id":1,"section_id":78071,"structure_id":13499,"section_number":"15.2-4301","catch_line":"Declaration of policy findings and purpose","history":"1977, c. 681, \u00a7 15.1-1507; 1987, c. 552; 1997, c. 587.","full_text":"It is the policy of the Commonwealth to conserve and protect and to encourage the development and improvement of the Commonwealth’s agricultural and forestal lands for the production of food and other agricultural and forestal products. It is also the policy of the Commonwealth to conserve and protect agricultural and forestal lands as valued natural and ecological resources which provide essential open spaces for clean air sheds, watershed protection, wildlife habitat, as well as for aesthetic purposes. It is the purpose of this chapter to provide a means for a mutual undertaking by landowners and localities to protect and enhance agricultural and forestal land as a viable segment of the Commonwealth’s economy and as an economic and environmental resource of major importance.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":279935,"text":"It is the policy of the Commonwealth to conserve and protect and to encourage the development and improvement of the Commonwealth’s agricultural and forestal lands for the production of food and other agricultural and forestal products. It is also the policy of the Commonwealth to conserve and protect agricultural and forestal lands as valued natural and ecological resources which provide essential open spaces for clean air sheds, watershed protection, wildlife habitat, as well as for aesthetic purposes. It is the purpose of this chapter to provide a means for a mutual undertaking by landowners and localities to protect and enhance agricultural and forestal land as a viable segment of the Commonwealth’s economy and as an economic and environmental resource of major importance.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13499,"edition_id":1,"name":"Agricultural and Forestal Districts Act","identifier":"43","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12721,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:04","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:04","permalink":{"id":157997,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13499,"identifier":"43","token":"15.2\/IV\/43","url":"\/15.2\/IV\/43\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12721,"edition_id":1,"name":"Other Governmental Entities","identifier":"IV","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12720,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":157897,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12721,"identifier":"IV","token":"15.2\/IV","url":"\/15.2\/IV\/","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":83266,"structure_id":13499,"section_number":"15.2-4300","catch_line":"Short title","url":"\/15.2-4300\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/43\/15.2-4300","metadata":false},{"id":78071,"structure_id":13499,"section_number":"15.2-4301","catch_line":"Declaration of policy findings and purpose","url":"\/15.2-4301\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/43\/15.2-4301","metadata":false},{"id":61769,"structure_id":13499,"section_number":"15.2-4302","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/15.2-4302\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/43\/15.2-4302","metadata":false},{"id":84802,"structure_id":13499,"section_number":"15.2-4303","catch_line":"Power of localities to enact ordinances; application form and fees; maps; sample form","url":"\/15.2-4303\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/43\/15.2-4303","metadata":false},{"id":67090,"structure_id":13499,"section_number":"15.2-4304","catch_line":"Agricultural and forestal districts advisory committee","url":"\/15.2-4304\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/43\/15.2-4304","metadata":false},{"id":55800,"structure_id":13499,"section_number":"15.2-4305","catch_line":"Application for creation of district in one or more localities; size and location of parcels","url":"\/15.2-4305\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/43\/15.2-4305","metadata":false},{"id":67788,"structure_id":13499,"section_number":"15.2-4306","catch_line":"Criteria for evaluating application","url":"\/15.2-4306\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/43\/15.2-4306","metadata":false},{"id":82465,"structure_id":13499,"section_number":"15.2-4307","catch_line":"Review of application; notice; hearing","url":"\/15.2-4307\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/43\/15.2-4307","metadata":false},{"id":54465,"structure_id":13499,"section_number":"15.2-4308","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/15.2-4308\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/43\/15.2-4308","metadata":false},{"id":58833,"structure_id":13499,"section_number":"15.2-4309","catch_line":"Hearing; creation of district; conditions; notice","url":"\/15.2-4309\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/43\/15.2-4309","metadata":false},{"id":56331,"structure_id":13499,"section_number":"15.2-4310","catch_line":"Additions to a district","url":"\/15.2-4310\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/43\/15.2-4310","metadata":false},{"id":78028,"structure_id":13499,"section_number":"15.2-4311","catch_line":"Review of districts","url":"\/15.2-4311\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/43\/15.2-4311","metadata":false},{"id":77285,"structure_id":13499,"section_number":"15.2-4312","catch_line":"Effects of districts","url":"\/15.2-4312\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/43\/15.2-4312","metadata":false},{"id":66279,"structure_id":13499,"section_number":"15.2-4313","catch_line":"Proposals as to land acquisition or construction within district","url":"\/15.2-4313\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/43\/15.2-4313","metadata":false},{"id":83920,"structure_id":13499,"section_number":"15.2-4314","catch_line":"Withdrawal of land from a district; termination of a district","url":"\/15.2-4314\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/43\/15.2-4314","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":83266,"structure_id":13499,"section_number":"15.2-4300","catch_line":"Short title","url":"\/15.2-4300\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/43\/15.2-4300","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":61769,"structure_id":13499,"section_number":"15.2-4302","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/15.2-4302\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/43\/15.2-4302","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-4301\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1977. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 681 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 1977 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 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 1987, chapter 552; in 1997, chapter 587<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":158003,"object_type":"law","relational_id":78071,"identifier":"15.2-4301","token":"15.2\/IV\/43\/15.2-4301","url":"\/15.2-4301\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-4301\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/43\/15.2-4301","dublin_core":{"Title":"Declaration of policy findings and purpose","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-4301","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

It is the policy of the Commonwealth to conserve and protect and to encourage the development and improvement of the Commonwealth’s agricultural and forestal lands for the production of food and other agricultural and forestal products<\/span>. It is also the policy of the Commonwealth to conserve and protect agricultural and forestal lands as valued natural and ecological resources which provide essential open spaces for clean air sheds, watershed protection, wildlife habitat, as well as for aesthetic purposes. It is the purpose of this chapter to provide a means for a mutual undertaking by landowners<\/span> and localities to protect and enhance agricultural and forestal land as a viable segment of the Commonwealth’s economy and as an economic and environmental resource of major importance.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDECLARATION OF POLICY FINDINGS AND PURPOSE (\u00a7 15.2-4301)\n\nIt is the policy of the Commonwealth to conserve and protect and to encourage\nthe development and improvement of the Commonwealth’s agricultural and\nforestal lands for the production of food and other agricultural and forestal\nproducts. It is also the policy of the Commonwealth to conserve and protect\nagricultural and forestal lands as valued natural and ecological resources which\nprovide essential open spaces for clean air sheds, watershed protection,\nwildlife habitat, as well as for aesthetic purposes. It is the purpose of this\nchapter to provide a means for a mutual undertaking by landowners and localities\nto protect and enhance agricultural and forestal land as a viable segment of the\nCommonwealth’s economy and as an economic and environmental resource of\nmajor importance.\n\nHISTORY: 1977, c. 681, \u00a7 15.1-1507; 1987, c. 552; 1997, c. 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}}