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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>345810</law_id><section_number>10.1-1703</section_number><catch_line>Acquisition of title subject to reservation of farming or timber rights; acquisition of easements, etc.; property to be made available for farming and timber uses</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="2" identifier="II">Activities Administered by Other Entities</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="11" identifier="17">Open-Space Land Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Any <span class="dictionary">public body</span> is authorized to acquire (i) unrestricted fee simple title to tracts; (ii) fee simple title to such land subject to reservation of rights to use such lands for farming or to reservation of timber rights thereon; or (iii) easements in gross or such other interests in real estate of not less than five years&#x2019; duration as are designed to maintain the character of such land as <span class="dictionary">open-space land</span>. Any such interest may also be perpetual. Whenever practicable in the <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> of the <span class="dictionary">public body</span>, real property acquired pursuant to this chapter shall be made available for agricultural and timbering uses which are compatible with the purposes of this chapter.</p></section></text><history>1966, c. 461, &#xA7; 10-158; 1974, c. 259; 1981, c. 64; 1988, c. 891.</history><metadata><court_decisions><item key="0"><name>United States v. Blackman</name><case_number>Record 042404.</case_number><citation>613 S.E.2d 442</citation><date>2005-06-09</date><url>https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1058934/united-states-v-blackman/</url><abstract> .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. 613 S.E.2d 442 (2005) .&#x202F;.&#x202F;. </abstract><court_html><abbr title="Supreme Court of Virginia">SCV</abbr></court_html></item></court_decisions></metadata></law>
