Chap. 340.—An ACT to amend and re-enact an act to amend and re-enact
section 672 of the Code of Virginia; condemnation of land for schoo'
houses. {[H B 463]

Approved March 24, 1926.

1. Beit enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That section
six hundred and seventy-two of the Code of Virginia, be amended
and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

Section 672. Condemnation of land for school houses.—lIf, in the
judgment of the county school board, the public interests demand
that a school house be located on a particular spot, or when a school-
house is already located upon land purchased or acquired for such
purposes and more land is needed for school purposes, and no equit-
able arrangements for its purchase prove to be practicable, the board
of trustees shall be authorized, and it shall be its duty, to cause the
desired parcel of land to be surveyed by the county or other competent
surveyor, and a plat of the same to be filed, together with a general
statement of the case, with the clerk of the circuit court; and there-
upon, on application of the county school board, the same proceedings
shall be had as are prescribed by the laws relating to the exercise of
the right of eminent domain; but no parcel of land thus condemned
shall exceed one acre in a town or five acres in the country. No
dwelling, yard, garden, or orchard shall be invaded, nor in an unin-
corporated town any space within one hundred feet of a dwelling,
nor in the country any space within two hundred yards of a mansion
house, without the consent of the owner; provided, however, that
where a school 1s already located on land acquired or purchased for
that purpose, and when additional land is needed for school purposes,
same may be taken under the provisions of this section, although the
land to be so taken may be within one hundred feet of a dwelling in
an unincorporated town or within two hundred yards of a mansion
house in the country, where the land to be so taken is not any nearer
such dwelling or mansion house than any portion of the land already
acquired or purchased upon which a school has been already located;
provided, however, that towns with over three thousand five hundred
population, which constitute separate school districts shall have the
right and power to condemn not in excess of five acres of land for any
one school whenever necessary for school purposes, whether dwellings,
yards, gardens or orchards be invaded or not.