A. All assignments and reassignments of limited common elements shall be reflected by the condominium instruments. No limited common element shall be assigned or reassigned except in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. No amendment to any condominium instrument shall alter any rights or obligations with respect to any limited common elements without the consent of all unit owners adversely affected by such amendment as evidenced by their execution of such amendment, except to the extent that the condominium instruments expressly provided otherwise prior to the first assignment of that limited common element.

B. Unless expressly prohibited by the condominium instruments, a limited common element may be reassigned or converted to a common element upon written application of the unit owners concerned to the principal officer of the unit owners' association, or to such other officer as the condominium instruments may specify. The officer to whom such application is duly made shall forthwith prepare and execute an amendment to the declaration reassigning all rights and obligations with respect to the limited common element involved. Such amendment shall be executed by all of the unit owners concerned and recorded by an officer of the unit owners' association or his agent following payment by the unit owners of the units concerned of all reasonable costs for the preparation, acknowledgment, and recordation of such amendment. The amendment is effective when recorded.

C. A common element not previously assigned as a limited common element shall be so assigned only pursuant to subdivision A 6 of § 55.1-1916. The amendment to the declaration making such an assignment shall be prepared and executed by the declarant, the principal officer of the unit owners' association, or by such other officer as the condominium instruments may specify. Such amendment shall be recorded by the declarant or his agent, without charge to any unit owner, or by an officer of the unit owners' association or his agent following payment by all of the unit owners of the units concerned of all reasonable costs for the preparation, acknowledgment, and recordation of such amendment. The amendment is effective when recorded, and the recordation of such amendment shall be conclusive evidence that the method prescribed pursuant to subdivision A 6 of § 55.1-1916 was adhered to. A copy of the amendment shall be delivered to the unit owners of the units concerned. If executed by the declarant, such an amendment recorded prior to July 1, 1983, shall not be invalid because it was not prepared by an officer of the unit owners' association.

D. If the declarant does not prepare and record an amendment to the declaration to effect the assignment of common elements as limited common elements in accordance with rights reserved in the condominium instruments, but has reflected an intention to make such assignments in deeds conveying units, then the principal officer of the unit owners' association may prepare, execute, and record such an amendment at any time after the declarant ceases to be a unit owner.

E. The declarant may unilaterally record an amendment to the declaration converting a limited common element appurtenant to a unit owned by the declarant into a common element as long as the declarant continues to own the unit.

1974, c. 416, § 55-79.57; 1983, c. 230; 1991, c. 497; 1998, c. 32; 2019, c. 712.