                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

LIMITATIONS TO IMMUNITY (§ 15.2-3306)

A. Immunity granted by this chapter shall not be interpreted to prohibit any
town annexations, or to prohibit annexations to a city initiated under the
provisions of &#xA7; 15.2-3203, except that no city may commence or be a
petitioner in any such proceeding.

B. Notwithstanding other provisions of law, including &#xA7; 15.2-3800, no grant
of county immunity shall be interpreted to deny the right of any town, which in
1979 possessed a population in excess of 5,000 persons and was situated in a
county possessing a population of 20,000 or more persons and a population
density of 300 or more persons per square mile, or a population of 50,000 or
more persons and a population density of 140 persons or more per square mile,
based either on the United States census, on population estimates of the Weldon
Cooper Center for Public Service of the University of Virginia, or on a special
census conducted under court supervision, to obtain city status. Where a town
seeks to become a city under the provisions of this section, the special court
shall be limited in its review to a determination of the town&#8217;s population
and population density. Where the court determines that such town has a
population of at least 5,000 persons and a density of 200 persons per square
mile, it shall enter an order granting the town city status.

HISTORY: 1979, c. 85, § 15.1-977.23; 1997, c. 587; 2002, c. 199.