Virginia Law

A. Regional planning areas are designated in subsection B of this section. Incorporated towns not listed in subsection B of this section shall participate in the same regional planning area as the county within which they are located.

B. The board designates the following regional planning areas:

1. The Big Sandy and Upper Tennessee Rivers 1 planning area encompasses the Counties of Lee, Scott, and Wise; and the City of Norton.

2. The Big Sandy and Upper Tennessee Rivers 2 planning area encompasses the Counties of Buchanan, Dickenson, Russell, Smyth, Tazewell, and Washington; and the City of Bristol.

3. The Chowan River 1 planning area encompasses the Counties of Brunswick, Lunenburg, Nottoway, and Prince Edward.

4. The Chowan River 2 planning area encompasses the Counties of Greensville, Surry, and Sussex; and the City of Emporia.

5. The Eastern Shore planning area encompasses the Counties of Accomack and Northampton.

6. The Middle James River 1 planning area encompasses the Counties of Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, and Louisa; and the City of Charlottesville.

7. The Middle James River 2 planning area encompasses the Counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Campbell, and Nelson; and the City of Lynchburg.

8. The Middle James River 3 planning area encompasses the Counties of Amelia, Chesterfield, Cumberland, Dinwiddie, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, Powhatan, and Prince George; and the Cities of Colonial Heights, Hopewell, Petersburg, and Richmond.

9. The New River 1 planning area encompasses the Counties of Bland, Giles, Montgomery, and Pulaski; and the City of Radford.

10. The New River 2 planning area encompasses the Counties of Carroll, Floyd, Grayson, and Wythe; and the City of Galax.

11 The Northern Coastal Plain 1 planning area encompasses the Counties of Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland.

12. The Northern Coastal Plain 2 planning area encompasses the Counties of Essex, King and Queen, Mathews, and Middlesex.

13. The Northern Coastal Plain 3 planning area encompasses the Counties of Caroline and King George.

14. The Northern Piedmont 1 planning area encompasses the Counties of Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock.

15. The Northern Piedmont 2 planning area encompasses the Counties of Spotsylvania and Stafford; and the City of Fredericksburg.

16 The Northern Virginia planning area encompasses the Counties of Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William; and the Cities of Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park.

17. The Roanoke River 1 planning area encompasses the Counties of Bedford, Franklin, and Roanoke; and the Cities of Bedford, Roanoke, and Salem.

18. The Roanoke River 2 planning area encompasses the Counties of Henry, Patrick, and Pittsylvania; and the Cities of Danville and Martinsville.

19. The Roanoke River 3 planning area encompasses the Counties of Charlotte, Halifax, and Mecklenburg.

20. The Shenandoah River 1 planning area encompasses the Counties of Augusta and Rockingham; and the Cities of Harrisonburg, Staunton, and Waynesboro.

21. The Shenandoah River 2 planning area encompasses the Counties of Clarke, Frederick, Page, Shenandoah, and Warren; and the City of Winchester.

22. The Southeast Virginia planning area encompasses the Counties of Isle of Wight and Southampton; and the Cities of Chesapeake, Franklin, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach.

23 The Upper James River 1 planning area encompasses the Counties of Alleghany, Bath, and Highland; and the City of Covington.

24. The Upper James River 2 planning area encompasses the Counties of Botetourt, Craig, and Rockbridge; and the Cities of Buena Vista and Lexington.

25. The York and James River 1 planning area encompasses the Counties of Charles City, King William, and New Kent.

26. The York and James River 2 planning area encompasses the Counties of Gloucester, James City, and York; and the Cities of Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, and Williamsburg.

C. A local government may request that the department change its designated regional planning area to an adjoining planning area. The request shall be in writing and shall demonstrate that the local government shares common water supply sources, river basin, or existing or planned cross-jurisdictional relationships with the planning area it proposes to join. The department will provide notice of the request to all designated representatives of local governments in the two affected regional planning areas. If no objections are received by the department within 30 days of notifying the designated representatives, the department shall approve the request. If one or more objections are received, the department shall approve or deny the request after considering the positions of the requesting and objecting parties in light of the purpose and objectives of this chapter. The department shall provide notice of any action to approve or deny a request to modify a regional planning area concurrently to the requesting local government and all other designated representatives in the affected regional planning areas. Department action approving a request shall be effective on the date the notice is provided.