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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>82465</law_id><section_number>15.2-4307</section_number><catch_line>Review of application; notice; hearing</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>15.2-4314</reference></referred_to_by><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="IV">Other Governmental Entities</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="43">Agricultural and Forestal Districts Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Upon the receipt of an <span class="dictionary">application</span> for a <span class="dictionary">district</span> or for an addition to an existing <span class="dictionary">district</span>, the <span class="dictionary">program administrator</span> shall refer such <span class="dictionary">application</span> to the <span class="dictionary">advisory committee</span>.
		The <span class="dictionary">advisory committee</span> shall review and make recommendations concerning the <span class="dictionary">application</span> or modification thereof to the local planning commission, which shall:</p></section>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Notify, by first-class mail, adjacent property owners, as shown on the maps of the <span class="dictionary">locality</span> used for tax assessment purposes, and where applicable, any political subdivision whose territory encompasses or is part of the <span class="dictionary">district</span>, of the <span class="dictionary">application</span>. The notice shall contain (i) a statement that an <span class="dictionary">application</span> for a <span class="dictionary">district</span> has been filed with the <span class="dictionary">program administrator</span> pursuant to this chapter; (ii) a statement that the <span class="dictionary">application</span> will be on file open to public inspection in the office of the clerk of the local <span class="dictionary">governing body</span>; (iii) where applicable a statement that any political subdivision whose territory encompasses or is part of the <span class="dictionary">district</span> may propose a modification which must be filed with the local planning commission within thirty days of the date of the notice; (iv) a statement that any owner of additional qualifying land may join the <span class="dictionary">application</span> within thirty days from the date of the notice or, with the consent of the local <span class="dictionary">governing body</span>, at any time before the public <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> the local <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> must hold on the <span class="dictionary">application</span>; (v) a statement that any owner who joined in the <span class="dictionary">application</span> may withdraw his land, in whole or in part, by written notice filed with the local <span class="dictionary">governing body</span>, at any time before the local <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> acts pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Hearing; creation of district; conditions; notice" href="/15.2-4309/">15.2-4309</a>; and (vi) a statement that additional qualifying lands may be added to an already created <span class="dictionary">district</span> at any time upon separate <span class="dictionary">application</span> pursuant to this chapter; <a id="paragraph-295449" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-4307/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Hold a public <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> as prescribed by <span class="dictionary">law</span>; and <a id="paragraph-295450" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-4307/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="3"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Report its recommendations to the local <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> including but not limited to the potential effect of the <span class="dictionary">district</span> and proposed modifications upon the <span class="dictionary">locality</span>&#x2019;s planning policies and objectives. <a id="paragraph-295451" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-4307/#3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1977, c. 681, &#xA7; 15.1-1511; 1979, c. 377; 1981, c. 546; 1984, c. 20; 1985, c. 13; 1987, c. 552; 1993, cc. 745, 761; 1997, c. 587; 1998, c. 833; 2011, cc. 344, 355.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
