{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/15.2-744.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/15.2-744.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/15.2-744.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/15.2-744.html"}],"law_id":74105,"edition_id":1,"section_id":74105,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-744","catch_line":"Authority of county board to impose civil penalties for wrongful demolition, razing or moving of historic buildings","history":"1991, c. 467, \u00a7 15.1-687.22; 1997, c. 587.","full_text":"The board may adopt an ordinance which establishes a civil penalty for the wrongful demolition, razing or moving of part or all of a building or structure when such building or structure has been designated as an historic structure or landmark or is part of an historic district. The civil penalty shall be imposed on the party deemed by the court to be responsible for the violation and shall not exceed twice the fair market value of the property, as determined by the county real estate tax assessment at the time of the demolition, razing or moving.\n\t\tAn action seeking the imposition of such a penalty shall be instituted by petition filed by the county in circuit court, which shall be tried in the same manner as any action at law. It shall be the burden of the county to show the liability of the violator by a preponderance of the evidence. An admission of liability or finding of liability shall not be a criminal conviction for any purpose. The filing of any action pursuant to this section shall preclude a criminal prosecution for the same offense.\n\t\tThe defendant, within twenty-one days after the filing of the petition, shall file an answer and may, without admitting liability, agree to restore the building or structure as it existed prior to demolition, razing or moving. If the restoration is completed within the time agreed upon by the parties, or as established by the court, the petition may be dismissed from the court’s docket upon a finding by the court that the building or structure has been restored as it existed prior to demolition, razing or moving.\n\t\tNothing in this section shall preclude action by the zoning administrator under subdivision A 4 of \u00a7 15.2-2286 or by the county under \u00a7 15.2-2208, either by separate action or as a part of the petition seeking a civil penalty.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":266494,"text":"The board may adopt an ordinance which establishes a civil penalty for the wrongful demolition, razing or moving of part or all of a building or structure when such building or structure has been designated as an historic structure or landmark or is part of an historic district. The civil penalty shall be imposed on the party deemed by the court to be responsible for the violation and shall not exceed twice the fair market value of the property, as determined by the county real estate tax assessment at the time of the demolition, razing or moving.\n\t\tAn action seeking the imposition of such a penalty shall be instituted by petition filed by the county in circuit court, which shall be tried in the same manner as any action at law. It shall be the burden of the county to show the liability of the violator by a preponderance of the evidence. An admission of liability or finding of liability shall not be a criminal conviction for any purpose. The filing of any action pursuant to this section shall preclude a criminal prosecution for the same offense.\n\t\tThe defendant, within twenty-one days after the filing of the petition, shall file an answer and may, without admitting liability, agree to restore the building or structure as it existed prior to demolition, razing or moving. If the restoration is completed within the time agreed upon by the parties, or as established by the court, the petition may be dismissed from the court’s docket upon a finding by the court that the building or structure has been restored as it existed prior to demolition, razing or moving.\n\t\tNothing in this section shall preclude action by the zoning administrator under subdivision A 4 of \u00a7 15.2-2286 or by the county under \u00a7 15.2-2208, either by separate action or as a part of the petition seeking a civil penalty.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13942,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Powers; County Manager Plan","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13941,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:22","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:22","permalink":{"id":151879,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13942,"identifier":"2","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2","url":"\/15.2\/I\/7\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13941,"edition_id":1,"name":"County Manager Plan of Government","identifier":"7","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13138,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:22","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:22","permalink":{"id":151867,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13941,"identifier":"7","token":"15.2\/I\/7","url":"\/15.2\/I\/7\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13138,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions; Charters; Other Forms and Organization of Counties","identifier":"I","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12720,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:20","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:20","permalink":{"id":151281,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13138,"identifier":"I","token":"15.2\/I","url":"\/15.2\/I\/","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":81778,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-702","catch_line":"County board; membership, terms, chairman, etc","url":"\/15.2-702\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-702","metadata":false},{"id":84414,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-702.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/15.2-702.1\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-702.1","metadata":false},{"id":84753,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-703","catch_line":"Interference by members of board in appointments and removals of personnel","url":"\/15.2-703\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-703","metadata":false},{"id":79639,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-704","catch_line":"Appointment of clerk of board; powers and duties; obligations and penalties","url":"\/15.2-704\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-704","metadata":false},{"id":80202,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-705","catch_line":"Election of members of board; filling vacancies","url":"\/15.2-705\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-705","metadata":false},{"id":85157,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-705.1","catch_line":"Instant runoff voting","url":"\/15.2-705.1\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-705.1","metadata":false},{"id":68323,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-706","catch_line":"Duties of county manager; compensation; appointment of officers and employees","url":"\/15.2-706\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-706","metadata":false},{"id":62617,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-707","catch_line":"Bonds of county officers and employees","url":"\/15.2-707\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-707","metadata":false},{"id":59246,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-708","catch_line":"Term of office of county manager; salary and performance of duties; acting manager in case of temporary absence or disability; removal or suspension","url":"\/15.2-708\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-708","metadata":false},{"id":66195,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-709","catch_line":"Investigation of county officers or employees","url":"\/15.2-709\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-709","metadata":false},{"id":77826,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-709.1","catch_line":"Applicant preemployment information in Arlington County","url":"\/15.2-709.1\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-709.1","metadata":false},{"id":61586,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-709.2","catch_line":"County auditor","url":"\/15.2-709.2\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-709.2","metadata":false},{"id":82185,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-710","catch_line":"Budget; county manager to be executive and administrative officer; financial condition of county","url":"\/15.2-710\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-710","metadata":false},{"id":72214,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-711","catch_line":"Certification and payment of payrolls","url":"\/15.2-711\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-711","metadata":false},{"id":55153,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-712","catch_line":"Certification and payment of certain vouchers","url":"\/15.2-712\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-712","metadata":false},{"id":63873,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-713","catch_line":"Means of transferring funds","url":"\/15.2-713\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-713","metadata":false},{"id":64908,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-714","catch_line":"Depository for county funds","url":"\/15.2-714\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-714","metadata":false},{"id":72151,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-715","catch_line":"Abolition of offices and distribution of duties","url":"\/15.2-715\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-715","metadata":false},{"id":60187,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-716","catch_line":"Referendum for establishment of department of real estate assessments; 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purposes","url":"\/15.2-740\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-740","metadata":false},{"id":68797,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-741","catch_line":"Regulation of child-care services and facilities in certain counties","url":"\/15.2-741\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-741","metadata":false},{"id":73278,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-742","catch_line":"Lighting level regulation","url":"\/15.2-742\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-742","metadata":false},{"id":75816,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-743","catch_line":"Fee for certain vacations, encroachments, and abandonments","url":"\/15.2-743\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-743","metadata":false},{"id":74105,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-744","catch_line":"Authority of county board to impose civil penalties for wrongful demolition, razing or moving of historic buildings","url":"\/15.2-744\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-744","metadata":false},{"id":74318,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-745","catch_line":"Ordinance for installment collection of taxes","url":"\/15.2-745\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-745","metadata":false},{"id":68300,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-746","catch_line":"Board possesses general power of management","url":"\/15.2-746\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-746","metadata":false},{"id":66479,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-747","catch_line":"Board may prohibit and penalize acts which are misdemeanors under state law","url":"\/15.2-747\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-747","metadata":false},{"id":70678,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-748","catch_line":"Annexation by city","url":"\/15.2-748\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-748","metadata":false},{"id":58883,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-749","catch_line":"Certain referenda in certain counties","url":"\/15.2-749\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-749","metadata":false},{"id":67785,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-750","catch_line":"Board may accept dedication of rights to develop real property","url":"\/15.2-750\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-750","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":75816,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-743","catch_line":"Fee for certain vacations, encroachments, and abandonments","url":"\/15.2-743\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-743","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":74318,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-745","catch_line":"Ordinance for installment collection of taxes","url":"\/15.2-745\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-745","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-744\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1991. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 467 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 1991 \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":72291,"section_number":"15.2-2208","catch_line":"Restraining violations of chapter","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-2208\/"},{"id":67238,"section_number":"15.2-2286","catch_line":"Permitted provisions in zoning ordinances; amendments; applicant to pay delinquent taxes; penalties","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-2286\/"}],"permalink":{"id":152081,"object_type":"law","relational_id":74105,"identifier":"15.2-744","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-744","url":"\/15.2-744\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-744\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-744","dublin_core":{"Title":"Authority of county board to impose civil penalties for wrongful demolition, razing or moving of historic buildings","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-744","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The board may adopt an ordinance<\/span> which establishes a civil penalty<\/span> for the wrongful demolition, razing or moving of part or all of a building or structure when such building or structure has been designated as an historic structure or landmark or is part of an historic district. The civil penalty<\/span> shall be imposed on the party<\/span> deemed by the court<\/span> to be responsible for the violation and shall not exceed twice the fair market value of the property, as determined by the county<\/span> real estate tax assessment at the time of the demolition, razing or moving.\n\t\tAn action seeking the imposition of such a penalty<\/span> shall be instituted by petition<\/span> filed by the county<\/span> in circuit<\/span> court<\/span>, which shall be tried in the same manner as any action at law<\/span>. It shall be the burden of the county<\/span> to show the liability of the violator by a preponderance of the evidence<\/span>. An admission of liability or finding<\/span> of liability shall not be a criminal conviction<\/span> for any purpose. The filing of any action pursuant to this section shall preclude a criminal prosecution<\/span> for the same offense<\/span>.\n\t\tThe defendant<\/span>, within twenty-one days after the filing of the petition<\/span>, shall file an answer and may, without admitting liability, agree to restore the building or structure as it existed prior to demolition, razing or moving. If the restoration is completed within the time agreed upon by the parties, or as established by the court<\/span>, the petition<\/span> may be dismissed from the court<\/span>’s docket<\/span> upon a finding<\/span> by the court<\/span> that the building or structure has been restored as it existed prior to demolition, razing or moving.\n\t\tNothing in this section shall preclude action by the zoning administrator under subdivision A 4 of \u00a7 15.2-2286<\/a> or by the county<\/span> under \u00a7 15.2-2208<\/a>, either by separate action or as a part of the petition<\/span> seeking a civil penalty<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nAUTHORITY OF COUNTY BOARD TO IMPOSE CIVIL PENALTIES FOR WRONGFUL DEMOLITION,\nRAZING OR MOVING OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS (\u00a7 15.2-744)\n\nThe board may adopt an ordinance which establishes a civil penalty for the\nwrongful demolition, razing or moving of part or all of a building or structure\nwhen such building or structure has been designated as an historic structure or\nlandmark or is part of an historic district. The civil penalty shall be imposed\non the party deemed by the court to be responsible for the violation and shall\nnot exceed twice the fair market value of the property, as determined by the\ncounty real estate tax assessment at the time of the demolition, razing or\nmoving.\n\t\tAn action seeking the imposition of such a penalty shall be instituted by\npetition filed by the county in circuit court, which shall be tried in the same\nmanner as any action at law. It shall be the burden of the county to show the\nliability of the violator by a preponderance of the evidence. An admission of\nliability or finding of liability shall not be a criminal conviction for any\npurpose. The filing of any action pursuant to this section shall preclude a\ncriminal prosecution for the same offense.\n\t\tThe defendant, within twenty-one days after the filing of the petition, shall\nfile an answer and may, without admitting liability, agree to restore the\nbuilding or structure as it existed prior to demolition, razing or moving. If\nthe restoration is completed within the time agreed upon by the parties, or as\nestablished by the court, the petition may be dismissed from the court’s\ndocket upon a finding by the court that the building or structure has been\nrestored as it existed prior to demolition, razing or moving.\n\t\tNothing in this section shall preclude action by the zoning administrator\nunder subdivision A 4 of \u00a7 15.2-2286 or by the county under \u00a7 15.2-2208,\neither by separate action or as a part of the petition seeking a civil penalty.\n\nHISTORY: 1991, c. 467, \u00a7 15.1-687.22; 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}}