{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/28.2-602.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/28.2-602.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/28.2-602.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/28.2-602.html"}],"law_id":356712,"edition_id":2,"section_id":356712,"structure_id":51054,"section_number":"28.2-602","catch_line":"Riparian assignments; special terms and conditions","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 28-123; 1950, p. 987; 1956, c. 586; 1958, c. 184; 1960, c. 517; 1962, c. 406, \u00a7 28.1-108; 1964, c. 393; 1968, c. 747; 1972, c. 644; 1976, c. 256; 1978, c. 548; 1984, cc. 100, 244, 259; 1986, c. 168; 1992, c. 836.","full_text":"The provisions of this article apply to all Virginia counties and cities bordering on bodies of water in oyster-growing areas, except they shall not apply to riparian lands located above the James River bridge in the James River or its tributaries. In any Virginia county or city where more than one-half acre of ground per waterfront tract has been assigned to a riparian owner, the ground in excess of one-half acre shall be ground held under a regular lease and assignment, and not a riparian assignment.\n\nFor Northampton County, however, \u00a7 6 of Chapter 254 of the 1883-1884 Acts of Assembly, not this article, shall govern the quantity of land to be assigned to and held by riparian owners. Nothing in this article authorizes a rental of a lesser amount per acre than that provided by law for riparian owners in Northampton County of the land assigned them as such riparian owners. Nothing in the section which restores to riparian owners in Northampton County one-fourth of their waterfronts suitable for planting oysters, permits the owners of waterfronts to compel occupants of the fronts to remove their oysters from any fourth of the shores, if the residue of the shore is already in the landowner’s possession or is unoccupied.\n\nRiparian landowners may erect wharves, landings, or other structures as otherwise permitted by law.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1327883,"text":"The provisions of this article apply to all Virginia counties and cities bordering on bodies of water in oyster-growing areas, except they shall not apply to riparian lands located above the James River bridge in the James River or its tributaries. In any Virginia county or city where more than one-half acre of ground per waterfront tract has been assigned to a riparian owner, the ground in excess of one-half acre shall be ground held under a regular lease and assignment, and not a riparian assignment.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"next_prefix":""},"1":{"id":1327884,"text":"For Northampton County, however, \u00a7 6 of Chapter 254 of the 1883-1884 Acts of Assembly, not this article, shall govern the quantity of land to be assigned to and held by riparian owners. Nothing in this article authorizes a rental of a lesser amount per acre than that provided by law for riparian owners in Northampton County of the land assigned them as such riparian owners. Nothing in the section which restores to riparian owners in Northampton County one-fourth of their waterfronts suitable for planting oysters, permits the owners of waterfronts to compel occupants of the fronts to remove their oysters from any fourth of the shores, if the residue of the shore is already in the landowner’s possession or is unoccupied.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":"","next_prefix":""},"2":{"id":1327885,"text":"Riparian landowners may erect wharves, landings, or other structures as otherwise permitted by law.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1,"prior_prefix":""}},"ancestry":[{"id":51054,"edition_id":2,"name":"Riparian Oyster-Planting Grounds","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":51053,"metadata":{"child_laws":3,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:36:34","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:31:45","permalink":{"id":1418477,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51054,"identifier":"1","token":"28.2\/II\/6\/1","url":"\/28.2\/II\/6\/1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":51053,"edition_id":2,"name":"Planting Grounds","identifier":"6","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":5,"parent_id":50998,"metadata":{"child_laws":54,"child_structures":4},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:36:34","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:31:45","permalink":{"id":1418475,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":51053,"identifier":"6","token":"28.2\/II\/6","url":"\/28.2\/II\/6\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50998,"edition_id":2,"name":"Tidal Fisheries","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":2,"parent_id":50994,"metadata":{"child_laws":289,"child_structures":42},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:36:05","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:31:42","permalink":{"id":1417675,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50998,"identifier":"II","token":"28.2\/II","url":"\/28.2\/II\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50994,"edition_id":2,"name":"Fisheries and Habitat of the Tidal Waters","identifier":"28.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":70,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":386,"child_structures":71},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:36:05","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:31:41","permalink":{"id":1417591,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50994,"identifier":"28.2","token":"28.2","url":"\/28.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":356710,"structure_id":51054,"section_number":"28.2-600","catch_line":"Riparian planting ground assignments; eligibility; fee","url":"\/28.2-600\/","token":"28.2\/II\/6\/1\/28.2-600","metadata":false},{"id":356711,"structure_id":51054,"section_number":"28.2-601","catch_line":"Riparian assignments; entitlements; obligations","url":"\/28.2-601\/","token":"28.2\/II\/6\/1\/28.2-601","metadata":false},{"id":356712,"structure_id":51054,"section_number":"28.2-602","catch_line":"Riparian assignments; special terms and conditions","url":"\/28.2-602\/","token":"28.2\/II\/6\/1\/28.2-602","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":356711,"structure_id":51054,"section_number":"28.2-601","catch_line":"Riparian assignments; entitlements; obligations","url":"\/28.2-601\/","token":"28.2\/II\/6\/1\/28.2-601","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/28.2-602\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 12 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1956, chapter 586; in 1958, chapter 184; in 1960, chapter 517; in 1962, chapter 406; in 1964, chapter 393; in 1968, chapter 747; in 1972, chapter 644; in 1976, chapter 256; in 1978, chapter 548; in 1984, chapters 100, 244, and 259; in 1986, chapter 168; in 1992, chapter 836.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1418487,"object_type":"law","relational_id":356712,"identifier":"28.2-602","token":"28.2\/II\/6\/1\/28.2-602","url":"\/28.2-602\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/28.2-602\/","token":"28.2\/II\/6\/1\/28.2-602","dublin_core":{"Title":"Riparian assignments; special terms and conditions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 28.2-602","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The provisions of this article apply to all Virginia counties and cities bordering on bodies of water in oyster-growing areas, except they shall not apply to riparian lands located above the James River bridge in the James River or its tributaries. In any Virginia county or city where more than one-half acre of ground per waterfront tract has been assigned to a riparian owner, the ground in excess of one-half acre shall be ground held under a regular lease and assignment, and not a riparian assignment.<\/p>

For Northampton County, however, \u00a7 6 of Chapter 254 of the 1883-1884 Acts of Assembly, not this article, shall govern the quantity of land to be assigned to and held by riparian owners. Nothing in this article authorizes a rental of a lesser amount per acre than that provided by law<\/span> for riparian owners in Northampton County of the land assigned them as such riparian owners. Nothing in the section which restores to riparian owners in Northampton County one-fourth of their waterfronts suitable for planting oysters, permits the owners of waterfronts to compel occupants of the fronts to remove their oysters from any fourth of the shores, if the residue of the shore is already in the landowner’s possession<\/span> or is unoccupied.<\/p>

Riparian landowners may erect wharves, landings, or other structures as otherwise permitted by law<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nRIPARIAN ASSIGNMENTS; SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS (\u00a7 28.2-602)\n\nThe provisions of this article apply to all Virginia counties and cities\nbordering on bodies of water in oyster-growing areas, except they shall not\napply to riparian lands located above the James River bridge in the James River\nor its tributaries. In any Virginia county or city where more than one-half acre\nof ground per waterfront tract has been assigned to a riparian owner, the ground\nin excess of one-half acre shall be ground held under a regular lease and\nassignment, and not a riparian assignment.\n\nFor Northampton County, however, \u00a7 6 of Chapter 254 of the 1883-1884 Acts of\nAssembly, not this article, shall govern the quantity of land to be assigned to\nand held by riparian owners. Nothing in this article authorizes a rental of a\nlesser amount per acre than that provided by law for riparian owners in\nNorthampton County of the land assigned them as such riparian owners. Nothing in\nthe section which restores to riparian owners in Northampton County one-fourth\nof their waterfronts suitable for planting oysters, permits the owners of\nwaterfronts to compel occupants of the fronts to remove their oysters from any\nfourth of the shores, if the residue of the shore is already in the\nlandowner’s possession or is unoccupied.\n\nRiparian landowners may erect wharves, landings, or other structures as\notherwise permitted by law.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 28-123; 1950, p. 987; 1956, c. 586; 1958, c. 184; 1960,\nc. 517; 1962, c. 406, \u00a7 28.1-108; 1964, c. 393; 1968, c. 747; 1972, c. 644;\n1976, c. 256; 1978, c. 548; 1984, cc. 100, 244, 259; 1986, c. 168; 1992, c. 836.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}