Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That §§ 58.1-3219.4 and 58.1-3220 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 58.1-3219.4. Partial exemption for structures in redevelopment or conservation areas or rehabilitation districts.

For purposes of this section, unless the context requires otherwise:

"Redevelopment or conservation area or rehabilitation district" means a redevelopment or conservation area or a rehabilitation district established in accordance with law.

A. The governing body of any county, city, or town may, by ordinance, provide for the partial exemption from taxation of (i) new structures located in a redevelopment or conservation area or rehabilitation district or (ii) other improvements to real estate located in a redevelopment or conservation area or rehabilitation district. The governing body of a county, city, or town may (a) establish criteria for determining whether real estate qualifies for the partial exemption authorized by this section, (b) establish requirements for the square footage of new structures that would qualify for the partial exemption, and (c) place such other restrictions and conditions on such new structures or improvements as may be prescribed by ordinance.

B. The partial exemption provided by the local governing body shall be provided in the local ordinance and shall be either (i) an amount equal to the increase in assessed value or a percentage of such increase resulting from the construction of the new structure or other improvement to the real estate as determined by the commissioner of the revenue or other local assessing officer, or (ii) an amount up to 50% 50 percent of the cost of such construction or improvement, as determined by ordinance. The exemption may commence upon completion of the new construction or improvement or on January 1 of the year following completion of the new construction or improvement and shall run with the real estate for a period of no longer than 15 years. The governing body of a county, city, or town may place a shorter time limitation on the length of such exemption, or reduce the amount of the exemption in annual steps over the entire period or a portion thereof, in such manner as the ordinance may prescribe.

C. The local governing body or designee shall provide written notification to the property owner of the amount of the assessment of the property that will be exempt from real property taxation and the period of such exemption. Such exempt amount shall be a covenant that runs with the land for the period of the exemption and shall not be reduced by the local governing body or designee during the period of the exemption [ unless the local governing body or designee by written notice has advised the property owner at the initial time of approval of the exemption that the exempt amount may be decreased during the period of such exemption ] .

C D. Nothing in this section shall be construed so as to permit the commissioner of the revenue to list upon the land book any reduced value due to the exemption provided in subsection B.

D E. The governing body of any county, city, or town may assess a fee not to exceed $125 for residential properties, or $250 for commercial, industrial, and/or apartment properties of six units or more, for processing an application requesting the exemption provided by this section. No property shall be eligible for such exemption unless the appropriate building permits have been acquired and the commissioner of the revenue or assessing officer has verified that the new structures or other improvements have been completed.

E F. Where the construction of a new structure is achieved through demolition and replacement of an existing structure, the exemption provided in subsection A shall not apply when any structure demolished is a registered Virginia landmark or is determined by the Department of Historic Resources to contribute to the significance of a registered historic district.

§ 58.1-3220. Partial exemption for certain rehabilitated, renovated or replacement residential structures.

A. The governing body of any county, city or town may, by ordinance, provide for the partial exemption from taxation of real estate on which any structure or other improvement no less than fifteen 15 years of age has undergone substantial rehabilitation, renovation or replacement for residential use, subject to such conditions as the ordinance may prescribe. The ordinance may, in addition to any other restrictions hereinafter provided, restrict such exemptions to real property located within described zones or districts whose boundaries shall be determined by the governing body. The governing body of a county, city or town may (i) establish criteria for determining whether real estate qualifies for the partial exemption authorized by this provision, (ii) require such structures to be older than fifteen 15 years of age, (iii) establish requirements for the square footage of replacement structures, and (iv) place such other restrictions and conditions on such property as may be prescribed by ordinance. Such ordinance may also provide for the partial exemption from taxation of multifamily residential units that have been substantially rehabilitated by replacement for multifamily use.

B. The partial exemption provided by the local governing body may be an amount equal to the increase in assessed value or a percentage of such increase resulting from the rehabilitation, renovation or replacement of the structure as determined by the commissioner of revenue or other local assessing officer or an amount up to fifty 50 percent of the cost of the rehabilitation, renovation or replacement, as determined by ordinance. The exemption may commence upon completion of the rehabilitation, renovation or replacement or on January 1 of the year following completion of the rehabilitation, renovation or replacement and shall run with the real estate for a period of no longer than fifteen 15 years. The governing body of a county, city or town may place a shorter time limitation on the length of such exemption, or reduce the amount of the exemption in annual steps over the entire period or a portion thereof, in such manner as the ordinance may prescribe.

C. The local governing body or designee shall provide written notification to the property owner of the amount of the assessment of the property that will be exempt from real property taxation and the period of such exemption. Such exempt amount shall be a covenant that runs with the land for the period of the exemption and shall not be reduced by the local governing body or designee during the period of the exemption [ unless the local governing body or designee by written notice has advised the property owner at the initial time of approval of the exemption that the exempt amount may be decreased during the period of such exemption ] .

C D. Nothing in this section shall be construed as to permit the commissioner of the revenue to list upon the land book any reduced value due to the exemption provided in subsection B.

D E. The governing body of any county, city or town may assess a fee not to exceed one hundred twenty-five dollars $125 for residential properties, or two hundred fifty dollars $250 for commercial, industrial, and/or apartment properties of six units or more for processing an application requesting the exemption provided by this section. No property shall be eligible for such exemption unless the appropriate building permits have been acquired and the commissioner of the revenue or assessing officer has verified that the rehabilitation, renovation or replacement indicated on the application has been completed.

E F. Where rehabilitation is achieved through demolition and replacement of an existing structure, the exemption provided in subsection A shall not apply when any structure demolished is a registered Virginia landmark or is determined by the Department of Historic Resources to contribute to the significance of a registered historic district.

2.  That the provisions of this act shall become effective for assessments for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2011. A property owner, however, shall not be entitled under this act to a refund for any taxes paid for tax years beginning prior to January 1, 2011. If, for tax years beginning prior to January 1, 2011, a governing body or designee reduced the amount of the partial exemption to an amount less than the original amount of the partial exemption during the period of exemption, such local governing body or designee shall reinstate the original exempt amount for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2011, for the balance of the period of the exemption, if any, remaining on that date.