A. Whenever a secondary highway or landing has been abandoned in accordance with the provisions of § 33.2-909 or 33.2-910 or in accordance with § 33.2-912 and its use is no longer deemed necessary by the Commissioner of Highways, the Commissioner of Highways shall so certify in writing to the governing body of the county in which such highway or landing is located, and the governing body of the county or the Commissioner of Highways shall then be authorized to execute, in the name of the Commonwealth or the county, a deed or deeds conveying such section or sections of highway or such landing, either for consideration or in exchange for other lands that may be necessary for the uses of the secondary state highway system. Before any such deed either for the sale or exchange of land is executed conveying any section of a highway or landing along which any person resides, notice shall be given by the Commissioner of Highways or the governing body of the county and to the owner or owners of the land upon which such person resides of the intention to convey the section of highway or the landing and if after a reasonable notice of such intention any such landowner so requests, a hearing shall be ordered by the Commissioner of Highways or governing body of the county as provided in this article. If upon such hearing it is determined that such section of highway or landing should be kept open for the reasonable convenience of such landowner or the public, then such section of highway or landing shall not be conveyed.

Any such conveyance by the governing body of a county shall not be subject to § 15.2-1800.

B. When real estate acquired by the Commonwealth incidental to the construction, reconstruction, alteration, maintenance, and repair of the secondary state highway system does not constitute a section of a public highway and is deemed by the Commissioner of Highways no longer necessary for the uses of the secondary state highway system, the Commissioner of Highways shall so certify in writing and is authorized to execute in the name of the Commonwealth a deed or deeds conveying such real estate, interest therein, or any portion thereof, either for consideration or in exchange for other lands that may be necessary for the uses of the secondary state highway system.

C. Upon petition of a local governing body, the Board may transfer real estate acquired incidental to the construction, reconstruction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of the secondary state highway system that constitutes a section of public highway to the local governing body, and upon such transfer, such section of highway shall cease being a part of the secondary state highway system.

Any such conveyance shall be subject to approval of the Board by resolution and recorded in the minutes of the Board.

Code 1950, § 33-76.11; 1950, p. 733; 1956, c. 106; 1970, c. 322, § 33.1-154; 1981, c. 323; 2002, c. 445; 2011, cc. 36, 152; 2014, c. 805.