{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/5.1-31.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/5.1-31.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/5.1-31.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/5.1-31.html"}],"law_id":65075,"edition_id":1,"section_id":65075,"structure_id":13107,"section_number":"5.1-31","catch_line":"Authority to acquire, construct, maintain and operate; permission of Department required","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 5-20, 5-29; 1966, c. 576; 1979, c. 272; 1995, c. 453.","full_text":"All cities, incorporated towns and counties of the Commonwealth may acquire, by purchase, lease, gift, condemnation or otherwise, within or without the limits of any such city, town or county, whatever land may be reasonably necessary for the purpose of establishing, constructing, owning, controlling, leasing, equipping, improving, maintaining and operating airports for the use of airplanes; may acquire, establish, construct, enlarge, improve, maintain, equip, operate and regulate the use of such airports or landing fields, structures, air navigation facilities and other property incident thereto; may make, prior to such acquisition, investigation, surveys and plans and enter upon any lands or waters for such purposes; may construct, install, maintain and operate facilities for the servicing of aircraft, and for the accommodation and comfort of air travelers; may purchase and sell equipment and supplies as an incident to the operation of its airport properties; provided, that in the case of any county, the exercise of such authority beyond its territorial boundaries shall be only with the consent of the governing body of the political subdivision in which the power is sought to be exercised; provided, however, that no such city, town or county shall establish or operate any airport without first obtaining the permission of the Board, as now or hereafter provided by law.\n\t\tThe governing body of a county, city, or town may create an airport authority that shall be empowered on behalf of such county, city, or town to have and exercise the powers and rights set out in this section.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":236840,"text":"All cities, incorporated towns and counties of the Commonwealth may acquire, by purchase, lease, gift, condemnation or otherwise, within or without the limits of any such city, town or county, whatever land may be reasonably necessary for the purpose of establishing, constructing, owning, controlling, leasing, equipping, improving, maintaining and operating airports for the use of airplanes; may acquire, establish, construct, enlarge, improve, maintain, equip, operate and regulate the use of such airports or landing fields, structures, air navigation facilities and other property incident thereto; may make, prior to such acquisition, investigation, surveys and plans and enter upon any lands or waters for such purposes; may construct, install, maintain and operate facilities for the servicing of aircraft, and for the accommodation and comfort of air travelers; may purchase and sell equipment and supplies as an incident to the operation of its airport properties; provided, that in the case of any county, the exercise of such authority beyond its territorial boundaries shall be only with the consent of the governing body of the political subdivision in which the power is sought to be exercised; provided, however, that no such city, town or county shall establish or operate any airport without first obtaining the permission of the Board, as now or hereafter provided by law.\n\t\tThe governing body of a county, city, or town may create an airport authority that shall be empowered on behalf of such county, city, or town to have and exercise the powers and rights set out in this section.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13107,"edition_id":1,"name":"Acquisition, Establishment and Operation Generally; Outside Easements","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13106,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:17","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:17","permalink":{"id":233781,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13107,"identifier":"1","token":"5.1\/3\/1","url":"\/5.1\/3\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13106,"edition_id":1,"name":"Municipal and County Airports and Other Air Navigation Facilities","identifier":"3","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13105,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:17","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:17","permalink":{"id":233779,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13106,"identifier":"3","token":"5.1\/3","url":"\/5.1\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13105,"edition_id":1,"name":"Aviation","identifier":"5.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:17","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:17","permalink":{"id":233299,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13105,"identifier":"5.1","token":"5.1","url":"\/5.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":65075,"structure_id":13107,"section_number":"5.1-31","catch_line":"Authority to acquire, construct, maintain and operate; permission of Department required","url":"\/5.1-31\/","token":"5.1\/3\/1\/5.1-31","metadata":false},{"id":80649,"structure_id":13107,"section_number":"5.1-32","catch_line":"Easements and privileges outside of airport or landing field boundaries","url":"\/5.1-32\/","token":"5.1\/3\/1\/5.1-32","metadata":false},{"id":62161,"structure_id":13107,"section_number":"5.1-33","catch_line":"Public purpose declared","url":"\/5.1-33\/","token":"5.1\/3\/1\/5.1-33","metadata":false},{"id":65912,"structure_id":13107,"section_number":"5.1-34","catch_line":"Acquisition of property; exercise of right of eminent domain","url":"\/5.1-34\/","token":"5.1\/3\/1\/5.1-34","metadata":false},{"id":74914,"structure_id":13107,"section_number":"5.1-35","catch_line":"Powers may be exercised jointly by two or more political subdivisions","url":"\/5.1-35\/","token":"5.1\/3\/1\/5.1-35","metadata":false},{"id":64863,"structure_id":13107,"section_number":"5.1-36","catch_line":"Agreement for joint exercise of powers; governing board, etc., to act on behalf of political subdivisions; powers of board, etc","url":"\/5.1-36\/","token":"5.1\/3\/1\/5.1-36","metadata":false},{"id":65419,"structure_id":13107,"section_number":"5.1-36.1","catch_line":"Contributions by counties to construction of certain airports","url":"\/5.1-36.1\/","token":"5.1\/3\/1\/5.1-36.1","metadata":false},{"id":86079,"structure_id":13107,"section_number":"5.1-37","catch_line":"Public waters and submerged lands","url":"\/5.1-37\/","token":"5.1\/3\/1\/5.1-37","metadata":false},{"id":66997,"structure_id":13107,"section_number":"5.1-38","catch_line":"Right to zone property not limited","url":"\/5.1-38\/","token":"5.1\/3\/1\/5.1-38","metadata":false},{"id":68340,"structure_id":13107,"section_number":"5.1-39","catch_line":"Use, disposal and termination of rights acquired","url":"\/5.1-39\/","token":"5.1\/3\/1\/5.1-39","metadata":false},{"id":59916,"structure_id":13107,"section_number":"5.1-39.1","catch_line":"Use of airport property for industrial development purposes","url":"\/5.1-39.1\/","token":"5.1\/3\/1\/5.1-39.1","metadata":false},{"id":54144,"structure_id":13107,"section_number":"5.1-40","catch_line":"Lease of land acquired; approval by Department","url":"\/5.1-40\/","token":"5.1\/3\/1\/5.1-40","metadata":false},{"id":74362,"structure_id":13107,"section_number":"5.1-41","catch_line":"Operation by local governing body or special officer or board","url":"\/5.1-41\/","token":"5.1\/3\/1\/5.1-41","metadata":false},{"id":64094,"structure_id":13107,"section_number":"5.1-41.1","catch_line":"Local governing bodies authorized to require boarding fee","url":"\/5.1-41.1\/","token":"5.1\/3\/1\/5.1-41.1","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":80649,"structure_id":13107,"section_number":"5.1-32","catch_line":"Easements and privileges outside of airport or landing field boundaries","url":"\/5.1-32\/","token":"5.1\/3\/1\/5.1-32","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/5.1-31\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\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 1966, chapter 576; in 1979, chapter 272; in 1995, chapter 453<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":69382,"section_number":"5.1-1.6","catch_line":"Further powers and duties of Department; State Corporation Commission to administer Chapter 9","order_by":null,"url":"\/5.1-1.6\/"},{"id":83580,"section_number":"5.1-2.2:4","catch_line":"Transparency and accountability for use of Department and Board funds","order_by":null,"url":"\/5.1-2.2_4\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":233783,"object_type":"law","relational_id":65075,"identifier":"5.1-31","token":"5.1\/3\/1\/5.1-31","url":"\/5.1-31\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/5.1-31\/","token":"5.1\/3\/1\/5.1-31","dublin_core":{"Title":"Authority to acquire, construct, maintain and operate; permission of Department required","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 5.1-31","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

All cities, incorporated towns and counties of the Commonwealth may acquire, by purchase, lease, gift, condemnation or otherwise, within or without the limits of any such city, town or county, whatever land may be reasonably necessary for the purpose of establishing, constructing, owning, controlling, leasing, equipping, improving, maintaining and operating airports<\/span> for the use of airplanes; may acquire, establish, construct, enlarge, improve, maintain, equip, operate and regulate the use of such airports<\/span> or landing fields<\/span>, structures, air navigation facilities and other property incident thereto; may make, prior to such acquisition, investigation, surveys and plans and enter upon any lands or waters for such purposes; may construct, install, maintain and operate facilities for the servicing of aircraft<\/span>, and for the accommodation and comfort of air travelers; may purchase and sell equipment and supplies as an incident to the operation of its airport<\/span> properties; provided, that in the case of any county, the exercise of such authority beyond its territorial boundaries shall be only with the consent of the governing body of the political subdivision in which the power is sought to be exercised; provided, however, that no such city, town or county shall establish or operate any airport<\/span> without first obtaining the permission of the Board<\/span>, as now or hereafter provided by law<\/span>.\n\t\tThe governing body of a county, city, or town may create an airport<\/span> authority that shall be empowered on behalf of such county, city, or town to have and exercise the powers and rights set out in this section.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nAUTHORITY TO ACQUIRE, CONSTRUCT, MAINTAIN AND OPERATE; PERMISSION OF DEPARTMENT\nREQUIRED (\u00a7 5.1-31)\n\nAll cities, incorporated towns and counties of the Commonwealth may acquire, by\npurchase, lease, gift, condemnation or otherwise, within or without the limits\nof any such city, town or county, whatever land may be reasonably necessary for\nthe purpose of establishing, constructing, owning, controlling, leasing,\nequipping, improving, maintaining and operating airports for the use of\nairplanes; may acquire, establish, construct, enlarge, improve, maintain, equip,\noperate and regulate the use of such airports or landing fields, structures, air\nnavigation facilities and other property incident thereto; may make, prior to\nsuch acquisition, investigation, surveys and plans and enter upon any lands or\nwaters for such purposes; may construct, install, maintain and operate\nfacilities for the servicing of aircraft, and for the accommodation and comfort\nof air travelers; may purchase and sell equipment and supplies as an incident to\nthe operation of its airport properties; provided, that in the case of any\ncounty, the exercise of such authority beyond its territorial boundaries shall\nbe only with the consent of the governing body of the political subdivision in\nwhich the power is sought to be exercised; provided, however, that no such city,\ntown or county shall establish or operate any airport without first obtaining\nthe permission of the Board, as now or hereafter provided by law.\n\t\tThe governing body of a county, city, or town may create an airport authority\nthat shall be empowered on behalf of such county, city, or town to have and\nexercise the powers and rights set out in this section.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 5-20, 5-29; 1966, c. 576; 1979, c. 272; 1995, c. 453.","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}}