                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

WHAT COURT MAY DO (§ 15.2-3238)

If the special court is satisfied that: (i) such contraction of the corporate
limits will not leave the bonded debt of the city or town in excess of ten
percent of the assessed valuation of the real estate that will be left in the
city or town after the proposed contraction, which debt shall be determined as
is provided in Article VII, Section 10 of the Constitution of Virginia; (ii)
less than three fourths of the landowners in that territory oppose the
contraction; (iii) no substantial damage to persons owning real estate in the
territory proposed to be abandoned, or to the county of which it will become a
part, will be caused by the contraction; and (iv) the abandonment of such
territory will be in the best interest of the city or town, the court shall
render an order confirming the ordinance contracting the limits of the city or
town and declaring the territory abandoned to be a part of the contiguous county
designated in the order. Such contraction shall thereupon become final and be
taken cognizance of by all public officers, and the territory abandoned shall
become a part of the county so designated. Whenever such an order is rendered, a
copy of the order shall be certified to the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 15-155; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-1061; 1970, c. 751; 1971,
Ex. Sess., c. 1; 1978, c. 642; 1997, c. 587.