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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>346020</law_id><section_number>10.1-518</section_number><catch_line>Action of Secretary on the application and statement; change of name of district</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="38" identifier="10.1">Conservation</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="I">Activities Administered by the Department of Conservation and Recreation</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="7" identifier="5">Soil and Water Conservation</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="3" identifier="3">Soil and Water Conservation Districts</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall examine the application and statement and, if he finds that the name proposed for the district is not identical to that of any other <span class="dictionary">soil and water conservation district</span> shall receive and file them and shall record the application in an appropriate book of record in his office. If the Secretary of the Commonwealth finds that the name proposed for the district is identical to that of any other <span class="dictionary">soil and water conservation district</span>, or so nearly similar as to lead to confusion and uncertainty, he shall certify such <span class="dictionary">fact</span> to the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>, which shall submit to the Secretary of the Commonwealth a new name for the district. Upon receipt of the new name, the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall record the application, with the name so modified, in an appropriate book of record in his office. When the application and statement have been made, filed and recorded, as herein provided, the district shall constitute a political subdivision of the Commonwealth. The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall make and <span class="dictionary">issue</span> to the directors a certificate, under the lesser seal of the Commonwealth, of the due organization of the district and shall record the certificate with the application and statement. The boundaries of the district shall include the territory as determined by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>, but shall not include any area included within the boundaries of another district, except in those cases otherwise provided for in this article. The name of any district may be changed if a <span class="dictionary">petition</span> for such change is subscribed by twenty-five or more landowners from each <span class="dictionary">county</span> or <span class="dictionary">city</span> comprising the district and adopted by resolution of the <span class="dictionary">district directors</span> at any regular meeting. The <span class="dictionary">district directors</span> shall submit a copy of the resolution to the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> and, if the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> concurs, it shall present the resolution, together with a certified statement that it concurs, to the Secretary of the Commonwealth who shall file the resolution and <span class="dictionary">issue</span> a new or amended certificate of organization.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 21-29; 1954, c. 670; 1958, c. 409; 1960, c. 208; 1962, c. 212; 1964, c. 512; 1970, c. 480; 1988, c. 891.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
