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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>85891</law_id><section_number>15.2-3234</section_number><catch_line>Inability to agree; petition to Commission on Local Government</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="15.2">Counties, Cities and Towns</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Boundary Adjustments and Changes of Status of Counties, Cities and Towns</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="32">Boundary Changes of Towns and Cities</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="2">Agreements Defining Annexation Rights</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>In the event the governing bodies of the <span class="dictionary">town</span> and <span class="dictionary">county</span> cannot reach a voluntary agreement as to future annexation rights, the <span class="dictionary">town</span> may, by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> duly adopted by a majority vote of its <span class="dictionary">governing body</span>, <span class="dictionary">petition</span> the Commission on <span class="dictionary">Local Government</span> for an <span class="dictionary">order</span> establishing the rights of the <span class="dictionary">town</span> to annex territory by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> under specified agreed terms. A copy of such <span class="dictionary">petition</span> and <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> shall be served on the attorney for the Commonwealth, or <span class="dictionary">county</span> attorney, if there is one, and on the chairman of the <span class="dictionary">board of supervisors</span> of the <span class="dictionary">county</span>. The <span class="dictionary">county</span> shall file its response to such <span class="dictionary">petition</span> with the Commission within sixty days after receipt of service thereof.
		After the time for filing of a response by the <span class="dictionary">county</span> has elapsed, the Commission shall establish a date, time and place for a <span class="dictionary">hearing</span>, to be conducted in the <span class="dictionary">county</span> or the <span class="dictionary">town</span>, at which the parties, and any resident or property owner of either the <span class="dictionary">county</span> or the <span class="dictionary">town</span> may appear and present <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> or comment on the rights petitioned for by the <span class="dictionary">town</span>. After receiving such <span class="dictionary">evidence</span>, and making such further investigation as it deems appropriate, and based upon the criteria set forth in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Hearing and decision" href="/15.2-3209/">15.2-3209</a>, the Commission shall enter an <span class="dictionary">order</span> which grants such rights to the <span class="dictionary">town</span>, either upon the terms set forth in the <span class="dictionary">petition</span> or upon some modified basis. The <span class="dictionary">order</span> shall in no event grant to the <span class="dictionary">town</span> the right to annex <span class="dictionary">county</span> territory by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> more frequently than once every five years.</p></section></text><history>1979, c. 85, &#xA7; 15.1-1058.4; 1997, c. 587.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
