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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>83920</law_id><section_number>15.2-4314</section_number><catch_line>Withdrawal of land from a district; termination of a district</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>58.1-3233</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 id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> At any time after the creation of a <span class="dictionary">district</span> within any <span class="dictionary">locality</span>, any <span class="dictionary">owner of land</span> lying in such <span class="dictionary">district</span> may file with the <span class="dictionary">program administrator</span> a written request to withdraw all or part of his land from the <span class="dictionary">district</span> for good and reasonable cause. The <span class="dictionary">program administrator</span> shall refer the request to the <span class="dictionary">advisory committee</span> for its recommendation. The <span class="dictionary">advisory committee</span> shall make recommendations concerning the request to withdraw to the local planning commission, which shall hold a public <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> and make recommendations to the local <span class="dictionary">governing body</span>. Land proposed to be withdrawn may be reevaluated through the Virginia or local Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) System. The <span class="dictionary">landowner</span> seeking to withdraw land from a <span class="dictionary">district</span>, if denied favorable action by the <span class="dictionary">governing body</span>, shall have an immediate right of <span class="dictionary">appeal</span> <span class="dictionary">de novo</span> to the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> serving the territory wherein the <span class="dictionary">district</span> is located. This section shall in no way affect the ability of an owner to withdraw an <span class="dictionary">application</span> for a proposed <span class="dictionary">district</span> or withdraw from a <span class="dictionary">district</span> pursuant to clause (v) of subdivision 1 of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Review of application; notice; hearing" href="/15.2-4307/">15.2-4307</a> or &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Review of districts" href="/15.2-4311/">15.2-4311</a>. <a id="paragraph-300732" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-4314/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Upon termination of a <span class="dictionary">district</span> or withdrawal or removal of any land from a <span class="dictionary">district</span> created pursuant to this chapter, land that is no longer part of a <span class="dictionary">district</span> shall be subject to and liable for roll-back taxes as are provided in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Change in use or zoning of real estate assessed under ordinance; roll-back taxes" href="/58.1-3237/">58.1-3237</a>. Sale or gift of a portion of land in a <span class="dictionary">district</span> to a member of the immediate family as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Provisions for subdivision of a lot for conveyance to a family member" href="/15.2-2244/">15.2-2244</a> shall not in and of itself constitute a withdrawal or removal of any of the land from a <span class="dictionary">district</span>. <a id="paragraph-300733" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-4314/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Upon termination of a <span class="dictionary">district</span> or upon withdrawal or removal of any land from a <span class="dictionary">district</span>, land that is no longer part of a <span class="dictionary">district</span> shall be subject to those local <span class="dictionary">laws</span> and <span class="dictionary">ordinances</span> prohibited by the provisions of subsection B of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Effects of districts" href="/15.2-4312/">15.2-4312</a>. <a id="paragraph-300734" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-4314/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Upon the death of a property owner, any heir at <span class="dictionary">law</span>, devisee, surviving cotenant or personal representative of a sole owner of any fee simple interest in land lying within a <span class="dictionary">district</span> shall, as a matter of right, be entitled to withdraw such land from such <span class="dictionary">district</span> upon the inheritance or descent of such land provided that such heir at <span class="dictionary">law</span>, devisee, surviving cotenant or personal representative files written notice of withdrawal with the local <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> and the local commissioner of the revenue within two years of the date of death of the owner. <a id="paragraph-300735" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-4314/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> Upon termination or modification of a <span class="dictionary">district</span>, or upon withdrawal or removal of any parcel of land from a <span class="dictionary">district</span>, the local <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> shall submit a copy of the <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> or notice of withdrawal to the local commissioner of revenue, the State Forester and the State Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services for information purposes. The commissioner of revenue shall delete the identification of such parcel from the land book and the tax map, and the local <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> shall delete the identification of such parcel from the zoning map, where applicable. <a id="paragraph-300736" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-4314/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> The withdrawal or removal of any parcel of land from a lawfully constituted <span class="dictionary">district</span> shall not in itself serve to terminate the existence of the <span class="dictionary">district</span>. The <span class="dictionary">district</span> shall continue in effect and be subject to review as to whether it should be terminated, modified or continued pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Review of districts" href="/15.2-4311/">15.2-4311</a> of this chapter. <a id="paragraph-300737" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-4314/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1977, c. 681, &#xA7; 15.1-1513; 1979, c. 377; 1985, c. 13; 1987, c. 552; 1997, c. 587; 2000, c. 521; 2011, cc. 344, 355.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
