                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

DESIGNATED AGENT TO ACT ON PROPOSED FINAL PLAT (§ 15.2-2259)

A. 1.  Except as otherwise provided in subdivisions 2 and 3, the designated
agent shall act on any proposed plat within 60 days after it has been officially
submitted for approval by either approving or disapproving the plat in writing,
and giving with the latter specific reasons therefor. The designated agent shall
thoroughly review the plat and shall make a good faith effort to identify all
deficiencies, if any, with the initial submission. However, if approval of a
feature or features of the plat by a state agency or public authority authorized
by state law is necessary, the designated agent shall forward the plat to the
appropriate state agency or authority for review within five business days of
receipt of such plat. The state agency shall respond in accord with the
requirements set forth in § 15.2-2222.1, which shall extend the time for action
by the local planning commission or other agent, as set forth in subsection B.
Specific reasons for disapproval shall be provided to the applicant either in a
separate document or on the plat itself and shall (i) identify all deficiencies
in the plat that caused the disapproval by referencing specific duly adopted
ordinances, regulations, or policies and (ii) identify all modifications or
corrections as will permit approval of the plat. The designated agent shall act
on any proposed plat that it has previously disapproved within 45 days after the
plat has been resubmitted for approval.

   2. The approval of plats, site plans, and plans of development solely
   involving parcels of commercial or residential real estate by a designated
   agent shall be governed by subdivision 3 and subsections B, C, and D. For the
   purposes of this section, the term &#8220;commercial&#8221; means all real
   property used for commercial or industrial uses, and the term
   &#8220;residential&#8221; means all real property used for single-family or
   multifamily use.

   3. The designated agent shall act on any proposed plat, site plan or plan of
   development within 40 days after it has been officially submitted for approval
   by either approving or disapproving the plat in writing, and giving with the
   latter specific reasons therefor. The designated agent shall not delay the
   official submission of any proposed plat, site plan, or plan of development by
   requiring presubmission conferences, meetings, or reviews. The designated
   agent shall thoroughly review the plat or plan and shall in good faith
   identify, to the greatest extent practicable, all deficiencies, if any, with
   the initial submission. However, if approval of a feature or features of the
   plat or plan by a state agency or public authority authorized by state law is
   necessary, the designated agent shall forward the plat or plan to the
   appropriate state agency or agencies for review within five business days of
   receipt of such plat or plan. The state agency shall respond in accord with
   the requirements set forth in &#xA7; 15.2-2222.1, which shall extend the time
   for action by the designated  agent, as set forth in subsection B. Specific
   reasons for disapproval shall be provided to the applicant either in a
   separate document or on the plat or plan itself and shall (i) identify all
   deficiencies in the plat or plan that caused the disapproval by referencing
   specific duly adopted ordinances, regulations, or policies and (ii) identify,
   to the greatest extent practicable, modifications or corrections that will
   permit approval of the plat or plan.
   				In the review of a resubmitted proposed plat, site plan or plan of
   development that has been previously disapproved, the designated agent shall
   consider only deficiencies identified in its review of the initial submission
   of the plat or plan that have not been corrected in such resubmission and any
   deficiencies that arise as a result of the corrections made to address
   deficiencies identified in the initial submission. In the review of the
   resubmission of a plat or plan, the designated agent shall (i) identify all
   deficiencies with the proposed plat or plan that caused the disapproval by
   referencing specific duly adopted ordinances, regulations, or policies and
   (ii) identify all modifications or corrections that will permit approval of
   the plat or plan. Upon the second resubmission of such disapproved plat or
   plan, the designated agent&#8217;s review shall be limited solely to the
   previously identified deficiencies that caused its disapproval.
   				All deficiencies identified during a third or subsequent resubmission of
   any plat, site plan, or plan of development shall be provided concurrently to
   the applicant and the director of planning or the equivalent official having
   supervisory authority over the agent. Within 14 days of receipt, such director
   or equivalent official shall either:

   1. Approve the plat, site plan, or plan of development as submitted;

   2. Permit the applicant to address any deficiencies deemed minor by the
   director or equivalent official, and resubmit the plat, site plan, or plan of
   development for administrative approval. The director or equivalent official
   shall complete the administrative approval within seven days of receipt of the
   resubmission; or

   3. Disapprove the resubmission, and identify all deficiencies that caused the
   disapproval by referencing specific duly adopted ordinances, regulations, or
   policies and identify all modifications or corrections that will permit
   approval of the plat, site plan, or plan of development.
   				The designated agent shall act on any proposed plat, site plan or plan of
   development that it has previously disapproved within 30 days after the plat
   or plan has been modified, corrected and resubmitted for approval. The failure
   of a designated agent to approve or disapprove a resubmitted plat or plan
   within the time periods required by this section shall cause the plat or plan
   to be deemed approved. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section,
   the locality&#8217;s designated agent, with the concurrence of all applicable
   local reviewing agencies, may administratively approve any resubmitted site
   plan or subdivision plat that the designated agent deems to be in compliance
   with local ordinances and state law.
   				Notwithstanding the approval or deemed approval of any proposed plat, site
   plan or plan of development, any deficiency in any proposed plat or plan, that
   if left uncorrected, would violate local, state or federal law, regulations,
   mandatory Department of Transportation engineering and safety requirements,
   and other mandatory engineering and safety requirements, shall not be
   considered, treated or deemed as having been approved by the designated agent.
   Should any resubmission include a material revision of infrastructure or
   physical improvements from the earlier submission or if a material revision in
   the resubmission creates a new required review by the Virginia Department of
   Transportation or by a state agency or public authority authorized by state
   law, then the designated agent&#8217;s review shall not be limited to only the
   previously identified deficiencies identified in the prior submittals and may
   consider deficiencies initially appearing in the resubmission because of such
   material revision.

B. Any state agency or public authority authorized by state law making a review
of a plat forwarded to it under this article, including, without limitation, the
Virginia Department of Transportation and authorities authorized by Chapter 51
(&#xA7; 15.2-5100 et seq.), shall complete its review within 30 days of receipt
of the plat upon first submission and within 30 days for any proposed plat that
has previously been disapproved, provided, however, that the time periods set
forth in &#xA7; 15.2-2222.1 shall apply to plats triggering the applicability of
said section. The Virginia Department of Transportation and authorities
authorized by Chapter 51 (&#xA7; 15.2-5100 et seq.) shall allow use of public
rights-of-way dedicated for public street purposes for placement of utilities by
permit when practical and shall not unreasonably deny plat approval. If a state
agency or public authority authorized by state law does not approve the plat, it
shall comply with the requirements, and be subject to the restrictions, set
forth in subsection A, with the exception of the time period therein specified.
Upon receipt of the approvals from all state agencies and other agencies, the
designated agent shall act upon a plat within 20 days.

C. If the designated agent fails to approve or disapprove the plat within the
timeframes prescribed in this section, the subdivider, after 10 days&#8217;
written notice to the designated agent, may petition the circuit court for the
locality in which the land involved, or the major part thereof, is located, to
decide whether the plat should or should not be approved. The court shall give
the petition priority on the civil docket, hear the matter expeditiously in
accordance with the procedures prescribed in Article 2 (&#xA7; 8.01-644 et seq.)
of Chapter 25 of Title 8.01 and make and enter an order with respect thereto as
it deems proper, which may include directing approval of the plat.

D. If the designated agent disapproves a plat and the applicant contends that
the disapproval was not properly based on the ordinance applicable thereto, or
was arbitrary or capricious, he may appeal to the circuit court having
jurisdiction of such land and the court shall hear and determine the case as
soon as may be, provided that his appeal is filed with the circuit court within
60 days of the written disapproval by the designatedagent.

HISTORY: Code 1950, §§ 15-789, 15-967.10; 1952, c. 333; 1962, c. 407, §
15.1-475; 1964, c. 498; 1975, c. 641; 1977, c. 10; 1978, c. 283; 1979, c. 111;
1980, c. 73; 1986, c. 483; 1989, cc. 471, 495; 1990, c. 171; 1992, c. 843; 1993,
c. 846; 1996, c. 353; 1997, c.; 2003, c. 716; 2007, c. 202; 2008, c. 855; 2015,
c. 420; 2018, c. 670; 2024, c. 346; 2025, cc. 100, 594.