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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>64047</law_id><section_number>15.2-4406</section_number><catch_line>Provisions of district ordinances for districts of local significance</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="IV">Other Governmental Entities</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="44">Local Agricultural and Forestal Districts Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Any district <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> adopted by the local <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> in <span class="dictionary">order</span> to create or renew an agricultural, forestal, or agricultural and forestal district shall include the following provisions:</p></section>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> That no parcel included within the district shall be developed to a more intensive use than its existing use at the time of adoption of the <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> creating the district for eight years from the date of adoption of such <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span>; <a id="paragraph-233239" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-4406/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> That no parcel added to an already created district shall be developed to a more intensive use than its existing use at the time of addition to the district for eight years from the date of adoption of the original district <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span>; <a id="paragraph-233240" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-4406/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="3"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> That land used in agricultural and forestal production within the agricultural and forestal district of local significance shall automatically qualify for an agricultural or forestal value assessment on such land pursuant to Article 4 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Repealed" href="/58.1-3229/">58.1-3229</a> et seq.) of Chapter 32 of Title 58.1, if the requirements for such assessment contained therein are satisfied, whether or not a local land-use plan or local <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Authority of counties, cities and towns to adopt ordinances; general reassessment following adoption of ordinance" href="/58.1-3231/">58.1-3231</a> has been adopted; <a id="paragraph-233241" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-4406/#3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="4"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> That the district shall be reviewed by the local <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> at the end of the eight-year period and that it may by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> renew the district or modification thereof for another eight-year period; and <a id="paragraph-233242" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-4406/#4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="5"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> Any other provisions to the mutual agreement of the <span class="dictionary">landowner</span> and the local <span class="dictionary">governing body</span> that further the purposes of this chapter. <a id="paragraph-233243" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-4406/#5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1982, c. 374, &#xA7; 15.1-1513.7; 1997, c. 587.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
