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 cities, unless such proposed consolidation is reviewed by the Commission on Local Government and a special court established pursuant to § 15.2-3522 and they meet the criteria set out in subsection A of § 15.2-3526.
The term "incorporated towns" as used in this article means only those incorporated towns which have held municipal elections in the ten years preceding the date of the filing of a petition for a referendum pursuant to § 15.2-3529.
If two or more like units of local government propose to consolidate into a consolidated like unit of local government, they shall do so in accordance with the provisions of Article 1 of this chapter.
This article applies to the (i) consolidation of unlike units of local governments such as a county and a city joining to form either a county or city; (ii) consolidation of like units of local governments into an unlike unit of local government such as a county and a county joining to form a city; or (iii) other combinations provided for herein.
1979, c. 85, § 15.1-1130.1; 1983, c. 4; 1997, c. 587.
Structure Code of Virginia
Title 15.2 - Counties, Cities and Towns
Chapter 35 - Consolidation of Localities
§ 15.2-3500. Application of article
§ 15.2-3501. Authority to consolidate counties, cities or towns
§ 15.2-3502. Agreement for consolidation
§ 15.2-3503. Petition requesting agreement
§ 15.2-3504. Publication of agreement
§ 15.2-3505. Order for election
§ 15.2-3506. Conduct of election
§ 15.2-3507. Result of election
§ 15.2-3508. Election or appointment of county officers
§ 15.2-3509. Election or appointment of city or town officers
§ 15.2-3510. General effect of consolidation
§ 15.2-3512. Suits and prosecutions
§ 15.2-3513. Magisterial, school and election districts, etc.
§ 15.2-3514. Courts and judicial circuits
§ 15.2-3515. Congressional and assembly districts
§ 15.2-3516. Registration of voters
§ 15.2-3517. Existing ordinances
§ 15.2-3518. Determination of rights
§ 15.2-3519. Repeal of certain charters
§ 15.2-3520. Counties, cities and towns specified; alternative consolidations
§ 15.2-3521. Proposed consolidated city; notice of motion; service and publication
§ 15.2-3522. Petition; appointment of special court
§ 15.2-3524. Time limit for intervenors
§ 15.2-3525. Pretrial conference; matters considered
§ 15.2-3526. Hearing and decision by court
§ 15.2-3527. Assistance of state agencies
§ 15.2-3530. Continuation of services of Department of Transportation after consolidation
§ 15.2-3531. Voters' petition requesting consolidation agreement and referendum
§ 15.2-3532. Required provisions of consolidation agreement
§ 15.2-3533. Transfer of property and indebtedness
§ 15.2-3534. Optional provisions of consolidation agreement
§ 15.2-3535. Advertising of charter
§ 15.2-3536. Charter for consolidated city
§ 15.2-3537. Publication of consolidation agreement
§ 15.2-3538. Order for election
§ 15.2-3539. Conduct of election
§ 15.2-3540. Result of elections; determination of form of government
§ 15.2-3541. General effect of consolidation; officers
§ 15.2-3543. Electoral board, general registrar and officers of election
§ 15.2-3544. Effect on pending suits
§ 15.2-3545. Effect on assembly districts
§ 15.2-3546. Effect on jurisdiction of courts
§ 15.2-3547. Consolidation of entire county requires no action of town council
§ 15.2-3548. Effect on town charter
§ 15.2-3549. Powers of a tier-city
§ 15.2-3550. Effect of consolidation into single county; exceptions for tier-city