A. A district shall be created under this chapter only by a resolution of the board of supervisors upon the petition of the owners of at least 51 percent of either the assessed value of land or land area of the real property of the county that is within the boundaries of the proposed district and that (i) is unimproved, regardless of zoning, or (ii) has been zoned for commercial or industrial use or is used for such purposes. Any proposed district may include land within a town located in such county. Such petition shall:

1. Set forth the name and describe the boundaries of the proposed district;

2. Describe the transportation facilities proposed within the district;

3. Describe a proposed plan for providing such transportation facilities within the district and describe specific terms and conditions with respect to all zoning classifications and uses, densities, and criteria related thereto that the petitioners request for the proposed district;

4. Describe the benefits that can be expected from the provision of such transportation facilities within the district; and

5. Request the board of supervisors to establish the proposed district for the purposes set forth in the petition.

B. Upon the filing of such a petition, the board of supervisors shall fix a day for a hearing on the question of whether the proposed district shall be created. The hearing shall consider whether the residents and owners of property within the proposed district would benefit from the establishment of the proposed district. All interested persons who either reside in or who own real property within the boundaries of the proposed district shall have the right to appear and show cause why any property or properties should not be included in the proposed district. If real property located within a town is included in the proposed district, the board of supervisors shall deliver a copy of the petition and notice of the public hearing thereon to the town council at least 30 days prior to the public hearing, and the town council may, by resolution duly passed, determine if it wishes such property located within the town to be included within the proposed district and shall deliver a copy of any such resolution to the board of supervisors with respect to the inclusion or exclusion of such properties within the proposed district; however, the petition shall comply with the provisions of this section with respect to minimum acreage or assessed valuation. Notice of the hearing shall be given by publication once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation within the county as designated by the board of supervisors. At least 10 days shall intervene between the completion of the publication and the date set for the hearing. The publication shall be considered complete on the twenty-first day after the first publication.

C. If the board of supervisors finds the creation of the proposed district would be in accordance with the comprehensive plan for the development of the area, in the best interests of the residents and owners of the property within the proposed district, and in furtherance of the public health, safety, and general welfare, it shall pass a resolution creating the district, which resolution shall be reasonably consistent with the petition. The resolution shall provide (i) a description with specific terms and conditions of all zoning classifications that shall be in force in the district upon its creation, together with any related criteria, and a term of years, not to exceed 20 years, as to which each zoning classification and each related criteria set forth therein shall not be eliminated, reduced, or restricted, except upon the written request or approval of the owner of any property affected by a change, or as specifically required to comply with the provisions of the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act (§ 62.1-44.15:67 et seq.) or the regulations adopted pursuant thereto, or other state law, and (ii) that the district shall terminate no later than 35 years from the date of the resolution.

After the public hearing, the board of supervisors shall deliver a true copy of its proposed resolution creating the district to the petitioning landowners or their attorney-in-fact. Any petitioning landowner may then withdraw its signature on the petition in writing at any time prior to the vote of the board of supervisors. If any signatures on the petition are withdrawn as provided herein, the board of supervisors may pass the proposed resolution in conformance herewith only upon certification that the petition continues to meet the provisions of subsection A with respect to minimum acreage or assessed value, as the case may be.

D. A district that proposes to construct or improve any portion of a two-lane primary highway that traverses an international airport at a county jurisdiction line shall be created in concert with the creation of a district in the adjoining county.

E. Where unimproved property, regardless of zoning, is included in the resolution creating the district, the board of supervisors, upon approving the resolution, shall direct that a copy of the resolution be recorded in the land records of the circuit court for the judicial circuit in which that county is located, for each parcel of unimproved real property included in the district. For purposes of this section, "parcel" means tax map parcel.

1997, c. 587.