CHAPTER 265

An Act to prohibit the institution of annexation proceedings, by cities and
towns, and consolidation of counties, cities and towns, from the effec-
tive date of this act until ninety days after the adjournment of the
regular session of the General Assembly of Virginia of 1964; and to
provide for a study and recommendations by the Virginia Advisory
Legislative Council concerning the laws relating to annexation and
consolidation.

[H 550]

Approved March 14, 1962

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. Notwithstanding any other provision of the laws of the Common-
wealth, until the expiration of ninety days following the adjournment of
the regular session of the General Assembly of Virginia of 1964: (a) no
city or town shall institute any proceedings for the annexation of terri-
tory of any county; and (b) no county, city or town which has not hereto-
fore held a consolidation referendum shall consolidate with any other
county, city or town; provided, however, that this act shall not apply (i)

any annexation suit or suits instituted by a city or town against a
county or counties prior to the effective date hereof; OR (ii) to any suit or
suits seeking the annexation of all or any part of the same territory which
was the subject matter of annexation proceedings terminated as a result
of a decision of the Supreme Court of Appeals in proceedings invoking
its original jurisdiction, but the foregoing shall not be construed to affect
the applicability or non-applicability of § 15-152.25 of the Code of Virginia,
as amended, as to such suit or suits; or (iii) to the prosecution of any
valid annexation proceedings against any county, notice of which was
given to the Commonwealth’s Attorney and to each member of the govern-
ing body of said county prior to the date the consolidation agreement was
approved by the governing bodies of said county and such other county,
city or town seeking to consolidate and the right is hereby expressly
granted to any such city seeking to annex to proceed with any such valid
annexation suit against such county, pending as aforesaid, as if consoli-
dation had not taken place and the consolidated city may be substituted
as party defendant.

Nothing herein shall prohibit the institution of any annexation pro-

ceeding with the consent of the governing body of the annexing city or
town and of the governing body of the county whose territory is sought
to be annexed, when the population of the territory sought to be annexed
does not exceed twenty-five hundred persons.
2. The Virginia Advisory Legislative Council is hereby directed to make
a comprehensive study of the laws of the Commonwealth which deal with
annexation and consolidation, and their proper relation to each other, and
to examine the structure of local government in Virginia in view of the
rapid development of the State, and any needed revisions of the laws deal-
ing with urban expansion into suburban and rural areas, and to make such
recommendations to the nineteen hundred sixty-four Session of the Gen-
eral Assembly as it deems necessary or advisable to accomplish these
purposes.