Va. Code Ann. § 36-51 (2026)

A. An authority shall not implement any redevelopment plan under this law until the governing body of the locality has approved the redevelopment plan, which provides an outline for the development or redevelopment of the redevelopment area and is sufficiently complete to indicate (i) its relationship to definite local objectives as to appropriate land uses and improved traffic, public transportation, public utilities, recreational and community facilities and other public improvements; (ii) proposed land uses and building requirements in the redevelopment area; (iii) the land in the redevelopment area that the authority does not intend to acquire; (iv) the land in the redevelopment area that will be made available after acquisition to nongovernmental persons or entities for redevelopment and that land which will be made available after acquisition to public enterprise for redevelopment; (v) anticipated funding sources that may be sufficient to acquire all property designated for acquisition within five years of the locality's approval; and (vi) the method for the temporary relocation of persons living in the redevelopment areas; and also the method for providing (unless already available) decent, safe and sanitary dwellings in the locality substantially equal in number to the number of substandard dwellings to be cleared from the redevelopment area, at rents within the financial reach of the income groups displaced from such substandard dwellings. Any locality is hereby authorized to approve redevelopment plans through their governing body or agency designated for that purpose.

B. No sooner than thirty months or later than thirty-six months following the date of the locality's approval of the redevelopment plan (hereinafter called the "approval date"), the locality shall review and determine by resolution whether to reaffirm the redevelopment plan. Where the locality fails to reaffirm the redevelopment plan, any real property within the redevelopment area that has not been acquired by the authority, or for which a petition in condemnation has not been filed by the authority, prior to the date of adoption of such resolution by the locality (hereinafter called the "termination date") shall no longer be eligible for acquisition by the authority unless the authority and the property owner mutually agree to the acquisition, in which case the authority shall be specifically empowered to acquire the property. For purposes of this section, a mediation request submitted by either the authority or the property owner, in accordance with § 36-27, prior to the termination date shall preserve the authority's right to file a petition in condemnation relating to such real property for a period of six months after the termination date.

C. Where the locality reaffirms the redevelopment plan, the authority shall continue to be authorized to acquire real property within the redevelopment area by purchase, or through the institution of eminent domain proceedings in accordance with § 36-27, until the fifth anniversary of the approval date. Any real property within the redevelopment area that has not been acquired by the authority, or for which a petition in condemnation has not been filed by the authority, prior to the fifth anniversary of the approval date, shall no longer be eligible for acquisition by the authority unless the authority and the property owner mutually agree to the acquisition, in which case the authority shall be specifically empowered to acquire the property. For purposes of this section, a mediation request submitted by either the authority or the property owner, in accordance with § 36-27, prior to the fifth anniversary of the approval date, shall preserve the authority's right to file a petition in condemnation relating to the real property for a period of six months after the fifth anniversary of the approval date.

D. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, a locality shall not be precluded from adopting a new redevelopment plan, in accordance with this section, which designates a redevelopment area that includes real property that was previously included within a redevelopment area under a previously adopted redevelopment plan.

E. If the authority decides against acquiring real property designated for acquisition under an approved redevelopment plan after having made a written purchase offer to the owner of the property, it shall, upon the written request of the property owner given no later than one year after the date of written notice from the authority to the property owner of its decision not to acquire his property, reimburse the owner of the property his reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the proposed acquisition of his property. Reasonable expenses shall include, but are not limited to, reasonable fees of attorneys and appraisers or other experts necessary to establish the value of the property to be appraised.

1946, p. 279; Michie Suppl. 1946, § 3145(8d); 2001, c. 729; 2006, c. 784.