Virginia Code Title 56. Public Service Companies § 56-546. Local approvals

A. Prior to the issuance of a certificate of authority by the Commission and contemporaneously with the filing of any application materials with the Commission, the applicant shall provide the local governing body of each jurisdiction through which any part of the roadway passes with the application information and materials required by § 56-540 and an overall description of the project and its benefits. The governing body may participate in procedures conducted by the Board or the Commission concerning the application.

B. When the operator wishes to occupy lands owned by any county, city, town, or any agency or instrumentality of the federal government, including the streets or alleys of a city or town, or the roads of any county, it shall first obtain a franchise allowing such occupancy or it may obtain the necessary interests through grant or other appropriate conveyance to the operator for a period of time, in the case of a franchise, not to exceed the term of the certificate.

C. Where the applicant wishes to interconnect with the streets of any city or town, or the road system of any county, and the locality is willing to allow the interconnection, it shall submit appropriate plans for the connection to the governing body, which shall approve the connection if it determines that the connection meets all appropriate engineering requirements.

D. The operator and the county, city, or town may also agree on any supplemental or related matters in addition to the matters specified in § 15.2-2026, according to such terms and conditions as are reasonable, appropriate, and in the public interest, and any such county, city, or town is hereby enabled to enter into such an agreement.

E. Prior to commencement of construction, the operator shall survey and plat the right-of-way in accordance with local requirements.