CHAPTER 433
An Act to amend and reenact § 10.1-1020 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Land Conservation Foundation.
[H 846]
Approved April 8, 2026
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 10.1-1020 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 10.1-1020 . Virginia Land Conservation Fund; purposes of Foundation.
A. The Foundation shall establish, administer, manage, including the creation of reserves, and make expenditures and allocations from a special, nonreverting fund in the state treasury to be known as the Virginia Land Conservation Fund, hereinafter referred to as the Fund. The Foundation shall establish and administer the Fund solely for the purposes of:
1. Acquiring fee simple title or other rights, including the purchase of development rights, to interests or privileges in property for the protection or preservation of ecological, cultural or historical resources, lands for recreational purposes, state forest lands, and lands for threatened or endangered species, fish and wildlife habitat, natural areas, agricultural and forestal lands and open space, and for conservation and restoration of homelands for state-recognized and federally recognized Virginia Indian Tribes; and
2. Providing grants to state agencies, including the Virginia Outdoors Foundation and state-recognized and federally recognized Virginia Indian Tribes, and matching grants to other public bodies and holders for acquiring fee simple title or other rights, including the purchase of development rights, to interests or privileges in real property for the protection or preservation of ecological, cultural or historical resources, lands for recreational purposes, and lands for threatened or endangered species, fish and wildlife habitat, natural areas, agricultural and forestal lands and open space. The Board shall establish criteria for making grants from the Fund, including procedures for determining the amount of each grant and the required match. The criteria shall include provisions for grants to localities for purchase of development rights programs.
Interests in land acquired as provided in subdivision 1 may be held by the Foundation, state agencies, state-recognized or federally recognized Virginia Indian Tribes, other public bodies, and appropriate holders. Whenever a holder acquires any interest in land other than a fee simple interest as a result of a grant or transfer from the Foundation, such interest shall be held jointly by the holder and a public body. However, the Board may waive such requirement if such holder is accredited by the national Land Trust Accreditation Commission or meets a similar set of standards and practices adopted by the Board and the easement contains a third party right of enforcement as defined in § 10.1-1009 in favor of the Department or another public body. Whenever a holder acquires a fee simple interest in land as a result of a grant or transfer from the Foundation, a public body shall hold an open space easement in such land.