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Virginia Law

Code of Virginia

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Code of Virginia
Title 55.1. Property and Conveyances
Chapter 28. Trespasses; Fences
12/21/2024

Article 3. Cattle Guards and Gates Across Rights-of-Way.

§ 55.1-2808. Property owner may place cattle guards or gates across right-of-way.

Any owner of property on which there is a road or way, not a public road, a highway, a street, or an alley, over which an easement exists for ingress and egress of others may place cattle guards or gates across such way when required for the protection of livestock.

Code 1950, § 8-873.1; 1954, c. 461; 1977, c. 624, § 55-304; 2019, c. 712.

§ 55.1-2809. Persons having easement may replace gate with cattle guard; maintenance and use thereof; deemed lawful gate.

Any person having an easement of right-of-way across the lands of another may, at his own expense, replace any gate thereon with a substantial cattle guard sufficient to turn livestock. Such cattle guards shall be maintained by the owner of the easement, who shall be responsible for keeping such cattle guards at all times in sufficient condition to turn livestock. If a cattle guard is rendered inoperative by inclement weather, the easement owner shall utilize and maintain any reasonable alternative method sufficient to turn livestock from the inoperative cattle guard until such cattle guard is rendered operative again. If the gate to be replaced is needed or used for the orderly ingress and egress of equipment or animals thereover, then such persons acting under the authority of this section shall construct such cattle guards so as to allow such ingress and egress or, if such easement is of sufficient width, may place such cattle guard adjacent to such gate.

Such a cattle guard shall be deemed a lawful gate and not an interference with such easement.

Code 1950, §§ 8-873.2, 8-873.3; 1954, c. 461; 1977, c. 624, § 55-305; 1992, c. 483; 2019, c. 712.