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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>66772</law_id><section_number>10.1-1701</section_number><catch_line>Authority of public bodies to acquire or designate property for use as open-space land</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="10.1">Conservation</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="II">Activities Administered by Other Entities</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="17">Open-Space Land Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>To carry out the purposes of this chapter, any <span class="dictionary">public body</span> may (i) acquire by purchase, gift, devise, bequest, grant or otherwise title to or any interests or rights of not less than five years&#x2019; duration in real property that will provide a means for the preservation or provision of <span class="dictionary">open-space land</span> and (ii) designate any real property in which it has an interest of not less than five years&#x2019; duration to be retained and used for the preservation and provision of <span class="dictionary">open-space land</span>. Any such interest may also be perpetual.
		The use of the real property for <span class="dictionary">open-space land</span> shall conform to the official comprehensive plan for the area in which the property is located. No property or interest therein shall be acquired by eminent domain by any <span class="dictionary">public body</span> for the purposes of this chapter; however, this provision shall not limit the power of eminent domain as it was possessed by any <span class="dictionary">public body</span> prior to the passage of this chapter.</p></section></text><history>1966, c. 461, &#xA7; 10-152; 1974, c. 259; 1981, c. 64; 1988, c. 891.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
