CHAPTER 524

AN ACT to provide additional methods of vacating certain
streets or alleys or parts thereof; to establish certain pre-
sumptions in connection therewith; to prescribe the effect
of such procedure, and to limit the effect thereof as to public
streets or alleys.

[ H 592 ]

Approved April 7, 1950

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. § 1. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the
contrary, and in addition to any other methods provided by law,
any street or alley, or part thereof, shown on a plat of sub-
division or other plat, heretofore or hereafter recorded, may be
vacated either in the manner provided in § 15-766 of the Code
of Virginia or by all owners of properties abutting such street or
alley, or part thereof to be vacated, if such vacation does not
abridge or destroy any of the rights or privileges of other prop-
erty owners within the bounds of the area of land shown on such
plat, by instrument in writing signed by all owners of proper-
ties abutting such street or alley, or part thereof to be vacated,
approved by the governing body of the county or city in which
the street or alley or part thereof to be vacated is located,
acknowledged in the manner of a deed and filed for record in the
clerk’s office of the court in which the plat showing such street
or alley is recorded.

§ 2. In the case of an alley separating lots or parcels of
land within a block bounded by one or more streets it shall be
presumed that only property owners within such block and
whose properties abut the alley have any rights or privileges
therein. In the case of a street it shall be presumed that only
property owners within the area of land shown on such plat
and reasonably needing to use such street as a means of ingress
and egress to and from their properties have any rights or privi-
leges therein. As used in this act the word “street” shall include
any road, avenue, drive or parkway and the word “owners”
shall include lien creditors. If the plat showing such street or
alley, or certificate on the plat or other instrument, had the force
and effect of vesting fee simple title to such street or alley in the
Commonwealth of Virginia or any political subdivision thereof,
then a vacation in accordance with this act shall divest such title,
except where the Commonwealth of Virginia, or any political
subdivision thereof, has taken possession or has notified in writ-
ing the governing body of the political subdivision wherein
such plat is recorded of its intention to take possession of such
street or streets, alley or alleys. Upon receipt of such writing
the governing body shall incorporate and index the same in the
minutes of their proceedings.

2. An emergency exists, and this act is in force from its
passage.