By complying with the requirements specified in this article, any one or more counties or cities having a common boundary, or any county and all incorporated towns located entirely therein, may consolidate into a single county or city; however, no consolidation instituted under the provisions of this article shall result in the creation of consolidated […]
At least thirty days before instituting a proceeding under the provisions of this article for the creation of a consolidated city, the counties and cities proposing to consolidate shall serve notice on the attorney for the Commonwealth or the attorney for the city or county, and on the chairman of the governing body or mayor […]
When a consolidation agreement proposing the creation of a consolidated city in accordance with § 15.2-3529 has been adopted, the original of the consolidation agreement, a petition on behalf of the several governing bodies, signed by the chairman, the mayor and the clerk of each such body, and certificates of publication as provided for in […]
In any proceedings instituted under the provisions of this article for the creation of a consolidated city, any voter, person having an interest or property owner of any locality which is a party to the consolidation agreement may by petition become party to the proceedings. Any locality having a common boundary, or other person affected […]
The court shall by order fix a time within which a voter, property owner, other person or political subdivision not served may become a party to proceedings instituted under this article for the creation of a consolidated city and thereafter no such petition shall be received, except for good cause shown. A copy of the […]
The special court shall, prior to hearing any case under this article for the establishment of a consolidated city, direct the attorneys for the parties to appear before it, or, in its discretion, before a single judge for a conference to consider: 1. Simplification of the issues; 2. Amendment of pleadings and filing of additional […]
A. The court shall order an election to be held as provided in § 15.2-3538 if, after hearing the evidence, it finds that: 1. The proposed consolidation has a minimum population of 20,000 persons and a density of at least 300 persons per square mile, or a minimum population of 50,000 persons and a population […]
The court may, in its discretion, direct any appropriate state agency, in addition to the Commission on Local Government, to gather and present evidence, including statistical data and exhibits, for the court, to be subject to the usual rules of evidence. The court shall determine the actual expense of preparing such evidence, and shall tax […]
Appeals may be made to the Court of Appeals as provided in §§ 15.2-3221 and 15.2-3222, which shall apply mutatis mutandis. Any judgment of the Court of Appeals rendered pursuant to this section may be appealed to the Supreme Court, which, if it grants the petition for appeal, shall hear the appeal as provided in […]
The board of supervisors or council of the locality desiring to consolidate into a county or city, or any county and all incorporated towns located entirely therein desiring to consolidate into a county or city may enter into a joint agreement for such consolidation, setting forth in such consolidation agreement the following: 1. The names […]
When a county and city consolidate into a city, or a combination of counties and a city or cities consolidate into a city, or when any county and all of the incorporated towns located entirely therein are consolidated into a city or cities, the Commissioner of Highways shall continue the full services of the Department […]
The voters of any locality whose governing body has not taken the initiative under § 15.2-3529, may require it to do so by filing a petition with the governing body. The petition shall be signed by not less than fifteen percent of the voters of the locality registered to vote as of January 1 of […]
In addition to the provisions required by § 15.2-3529, any consolidation agreement adopted pursuant to this article shall contain the following provisions: 1. The disposition of all property, real or personal, of any locality affected by the proposed consolidation, including any and all debts due to any such locality; 2. Reimbursement for, or assumption of, […]
If the proposed consolidation is approved by a majority vote of the voters of each locality proposed to be consolidated, voting in the election hereinafter provided for, then the title to all property shall be vested in, and the indebtedness become a debt of, the respective localities according to the agreement, without any further act […]
Any such consolidation agreement may contain any of the following provisions: 1. In any territory that will be a part of the consolidated city there shall be no increase in assessments, except for permanent improvements made after the consolidation, for a period not exceeding five years. 2. The rate of tax on real property in […]
The governing bodies, or a committee acting for and in lieu of the governing body under § 15.2-3531, may draft a charter for a consolidated city or a tier-city to be adopted as a part of the consolidation agreement. The advertising of the consolidation agreement as provided in § 15.2-3537 shall include a statement that […]
If a proposed charter for a consolidated city has been approved by the General Assembly for adoption in any area in which a consolidation of localities is proposed to be effected in accordance with the provisions of this article, then in any subsequent proceedings under the provisions of this article, such charter may be used […]
Each locality which is a party to a consolidation agreement shall cause a copy of the consolidation agreement, or a descriptive summary of the agreement and a reference to the place in the locality where a copy of the agreement may be examined, to be published in its locality at least once a week for […]
When publication of the consolidation agreement or descriptive summary in each of the localities is completed or, in the case of a proposed consolidated new city, when the court has entered an appropriate order under the provisions of subsection A of § 15.2-3526, the respective chief judges of the circuit courts for the counties and […]
The regular election officers, at the time designated in the order authorizing the vote, shall open the polls at the various voting places in their respective localities and conduct the election in such manner as is provided by general law for other elections insofar as the same is applicable. The ballots for each county, including […]
