{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/15.2-4406.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/15.2-4406.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/15.2-4406.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/15.2-4406.html"}],"law_id":64047,"edition_id":1,"section_id":64047,"structure_id":15369,"section_number":"15.2-4406","catch_line":"Provisions of district ordinances for districts of local significance","history":"1982, c. 374, \u00a7 15.1-1513.7; 1997, c. 587.","full_text":"Any district ordinance adopted by the local governing body in order to create or renew an agricultural, forestal, or agricultural and forestal district shall include the following provisions:\n\n1\n\nThat no parcel included within the district shall be developed to a more intensive use than its existing use at the time of adoption of the ordinance creating the district for eight years from the date of adoption of such ordinance;2\n\nThat no parcel added to an already created district shall be developed to a more intensive use than its existing use at the time of addition to the district for eight years from the date of adoption of the original district ordinance;3\n\nThat land used in agricultural and forestal production within the agricultural and forestal district of local significance shall automatically qualify for an agricultural or forestal value assessment on such land pursuant to Article 4 (§ 58.1-3229 et seq.) of Chapter 32 of Title 58.1, if the requirements for such assessment contained therein are satisfied, whether or not a local land-use plan or local ordinance pursuant to § 58.1-3231 has been adopted;4\n\nThat the district shall be reviewed by the local governing body at the end of the eight-year period and that it may by ordinance renew the district or modification thereof for another eight-year period; and5\n\nAny other provisions to the mutual agreement of the landowner and the local governing body that further the purposes of this chapter.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":233238,"text":"Any district ordinance adopted by the local governing body in order to create or renew an agricultural, forestal, or agricultural and forestal district shall include the following provisions:","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":"1"},"1":{"id":233239,"text":"That no parcel included within the district shall be developed to a more intensive use than its existing use at the time of adoption of the ordinance creating the district for eight years from the date of adoption of such ordinance;","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":"2"},"2":{"id":233240,"text":"That no parcel added to an already created district shall be developed to a more intensive use than its existing use at the time of addition to the district for eight years from the date of adoption of the original district ordinance;","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1","next_prefix":"3"},"3":{"id":233241,"text":"That land used in agricultural and forestal production within the agricultural and forestal district of local significance shall automatically qualify for an agricultural or forestal value assessment on such land pursuant to Article 4 (§ 58.1-3229 et seq.) of Chapter 32 of Title 58.1, if the requirements for such assessment contained therein are satisfied, whether or not a local land-use plan or local ordinance pursuant to § 58.1-3231 has been adopted;","type":"section","prefixes":["3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"3","prefix_anchor":"3","level":1,"prior_prefix":"2","next_prefix":"4"},"4":{"id":233242,"text":"That the district shall be reviewed by the local governing body at the end of the eight-year period and that it may by ordinance renew the district or modification thereof for another eight-year period; and","type":"section","prefixes":["4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"4","prefix_anchor":"4","level":1,"prior_prefix":"3","next_prefix":"5"},"5":{"id":233243,"text":"Any other provisions to the mutual agreement of the landowner and the local governing body that further the purposes of this chapter.","type":"section","prefixes":["5"],"prefix":"5","entire_prefix":"5","prefix_anchor":"5","level":1,"prior_prefix":"4"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15369,"edition_id":1,"name":"Local Agricultural and Forestal Districts Act","identifier":"44","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12721,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:54:23","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:54:23","permalink":{"id":158059,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15369,"identifier":"44","token":"15.2\/IV\/44","url":"\/15.2\/IV\/44\/","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":59556,"structure_id":15369,"section_number":"15.2-4400","catch_line":"Short title","url":"\/15.2-4400\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/44\/15.2-4400","metadata":false},{"id":86184,"structure_id":15369,"section_number":"15.2-4401","catch_line":"Declaration of policy findings and purpose","url":"\/15.2-4401\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/44\/15.2-4401","metadata":false},{"id":77287,"structure_id":15369,"section_number":"15.2-4402","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/15.2-4402\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/44\/15.2-4402","metadata":false},{"id":58527,"structure_id":15369,"section_number":"15.2-4403","catch_line":"Power of participating localities to enact ordinances; application form and fees","url":"\/15.2-4403\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/44\/15.2-4403","metadata":false},{"id":72483,"structure_id":15369,"section_number":"15.2-4404","catch_line":"Agricultural and forestal districts advisory committee","url":"\/15.2-4404\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/44\/15.2-4404","metadata":false},{"id":61691,"structure_id":15369,"section_number":"15.2-4405","catch_line":"Creation of districts of local significance","url":"\/15.2-4405\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/44\/15.2-4405","metadata":false},{"id":64047,"structure_id":15369,"section_number":"15.2-4406","catch_line":"Provisions of district ordinances for districts of local significance","url":"\/15.2-4406\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/44\/15.2-4406","metadata":false},{"id":65311,"structure_id":15369,"section_number":"15.2-4407","catch_line":"Withdrawal of land from district of local significance","url":"\/15.2-4407\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/44\/15.2-4407","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":61691,"structure_id":15369,"section_number":"15.2-4405","catch_line":"Creation of districts of local significance","url":"\/15.2-4405\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/44\/15.2-4405","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":65311,"structure_id":15369,"section_number":"15.2-4407","catch_line":"Withdrawal of land from district of local significance","url":"\/15.2-4407\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/44\/15.2-4407","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-4406\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1982. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 374 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 1982 \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, chapter 587<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":56646,"section_number":"58.1-3229","catch_line":"Repealed","order_by":null,"url":"\/58.1-3229\/"},{"id":62066,"section_number":"58.1-3231","catch_line":"Authority of counties, cities and towns to adopt ordinances; general reassessment following adoption of ordinance","order_by":null,"url":"\/58.1-3231\/"}],"permalink":{"id":158085,"object_type":"law","relational_id":64047,"identifier":"15.2-4406","token":"15.2\/IV\/44\/15.2-4406","url":"\/15.2-4406\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-4406\/","token":"15.2\/IV\/44\/15.2-4406","dublin_core":{"Title":"Provisions of district ordinances for districts of local significance","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-4406","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Any district ordinance<\/span> adopted by the local governing body<\/span> in order<\/span> to create or renew an agricultural, forestal, or agricultural and forestal district shall include the following provisions:<\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> That no parcel included within the district shall be developed to a more intensive use than its existing use at the time of adoption of the ordinance<\/span> creating the district for eight years from the date of adoption of such ordinance<\/span>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> That no parcel added to an already created district shall be developed to a more intensive use than its existing use at the time of addition to the district for eight years from the date of adoption of the original district ordinance<\/span>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> That land used in agricultural and forestal production within the agricultural and forestal district of local significance shall automatically qualify for an agricultural or forestal value assessment on such land pursuant to Article 4 (§ 58.1-3229<\/a> et seq.) of Chapter 32 of Title 58.1, if the requirements for such assessment contained therein are satisfied, whether or not a local land-use plan or local ordinance<\/span> pursuant to § 58.1-3231<\/a> has been adopted; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> That the district shall be reviewed by the local governing body<\/span> at the end of the eight-year period and that it may by ordinance<\/span> renew the district or modification thereof for another eight-year period; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

5.<\/span> Any other provisions to the mutual agreement of the landowner<\/span> and the local governing body<\/span> that further the purposes of this chapter. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPROVISIONS OF DISTRICT ORDINANCES FOR DISTRICTS OF LOCAL SIGNIFICANCE (\u00a7\n15.2-4406)\n\nAny district ordinance adopted by the local governing body in order to create or\nrenew an agricultural, forestal, or agricultural and forestal district shall\ninclude the following provisions:\n\n1. That no parcel included within the district shall be developed to a more\nintensive use than its existing use at the time of adoption of the ordinance\ncreating the district for eight years from the date of adoption of such\nordinance;\n\n2. That no parcel added to an already created district shall be developed to a\nmore intensive use than its existing use at the time of addition to the district\nfor eight years from the date of adoption of the original district ordinance;\n\n3. That land used in agricultural and forestal production within the\nagricultural and forestal district of local significance shall automatically\nqualify for an agricultural or forestal value assessment on such land pursuant\nto Article 4 (§ 58.1-3229 et seq.) of Chapter 32 of Title 58.1, if the\nrequirements for such assessment contained therein are satisfied, whether or not\na local land-use plan or local ordinance pursuant to § 58.1-3231 has been\nadopted;\n\n4. That the district shall be reviewed by the local governing body at the end of\nthe eight-year period and that it may by ordinance renew the district or\nmodification thereof for another eight-year period; and\n\n5. Any other provisions to the mutual agreement of the landowner and the local\ngoverning body that further the purposes of this chapter.\n\nHISTORY: 1982, c. 374, \u00a7 15.1-1513.7; 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}}