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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>55023</law_id><section_number>10.1-500</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>3.2-400</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="10.1">Conservation</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="I">Activities Administered by the Department of Conservation and Recreation</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="5">Soil and Water Conservation</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Board</span>&#x201D; means the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation <span class="dictionary">Board</span>.
		&#x201C;County&#x201D; includes towns.
		&#x201C;City&#x201D; includes all cities chartered under the Commonwealth.
		&#x201C;District&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">soil and water conservation district</span>&#x201D; means a political subdivision of this Commonwealth organized in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">District director</span>&#x201D; means a member of the governing body of a district authorized to serve as a director.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Due notice</span>&#x201D; means notice published at least twice, with an interval of at least seven days between the two publication dates, in a newspaper or other publication of general circulation within the appropriate area, or if no such publication of general circulation is available, by posting at a reasonable number of conspicuous places within the appropriate area. Such posting shall include, where possible, posting at public places where it is customary to post notices concerning county or municipal affairs. <span class="dictionary">Hearings</span> held pursuant to such notice, at the time and place designated in the notice, may be adjourned from time to time without renewing the notice for the adjourned dates.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Governing body of a city or county</span>&#x201D; means the entire governing body regardless of whether all or part of that city or county is included or to be included within a district.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Government</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">governmental</span>&#x201D; includes the <span class="dictionary">government</span> of this Commonwealth, the <span class="dictionary">government</span> of the United States, and any of their subdivisions, agencies or instrumentalities.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Land occupier</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">occupier of land</span>&#x201D; includes any person, firm or corporation who holds title to, or is in <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of, any lands lying within a district organized, or proposed to be organized, under the provisions of this chapter, in the capacity of owner, lessee, renter, tenant, or cropper. The terms &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">land occupier</span>&#x201D; and &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">occupier of land</span>&#x201D; shall not include an ordinary employee or hired hand who is furnished a dwelling, garden, utilities, supplies, or the like, as part payment, or payment in full, for his labor.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Locality</span>&#x201D; means a county, city or town.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 21-3; 1950, p. 76; 1954, c. 670; 1964, c. 512; 1970, c. 480; 1985, c. 448; 1988, c. 891.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
