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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>347812</law_id><section_number>15.2-2223.3</section_number><catch_line>Comprehensive plan shall incorporate strategies to combat projected sea-level rise and recurrent flooding</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="46" identifier="15.2">Counties, Cities and Towns</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="2" identifier="II">Powers of Local Government</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="15" identifier="22">Planning, Subdivision of Land and Zoning</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="3" identifier="3">The Comprehensive Plan</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Beginning July 1, 2015, any <span class="dictionary">locality</span> included in the Hampton Roads <span class="dictionary">Planning District Commission</span> shall incorporate into the next scheduled and all subsequent reviews of its comprehensive plan strategies to combat projected relative sea-level rise and recurrent flooding. Such review shall be coordinated with the other localities in the Hampton Roads <span class="dictionary">Planning District Commission</span>. The Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Department of Emergency Management, the Marine Resources Commission, Old Dominion University, and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science shall provide technical assistance to any such <span class="dictionary">locality</span> upon request. Where federal regulations as effective July 1, 2015 require a local hazard mitigation plan for participation in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Flood Insurance Program, such a plan may also be incorporated into the comprehensive plan. For a <span class="dictionary">locality</span> not participating in the FEMA Community Rating System, the comprehensive plan may include an action plan and time frame for such participation.</p></section></text><history>2015, c. 186.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
