15.2-840 - Department of assessments.
§ 15.2-840. Department of assessments.
A. The department of assessments, if and when established, shall be headed bya commissioner of the revenue or supervisor of assessments, who shallexercise the power conferred and perform the duties imposed by § 15.2-826upon the director of finance.
B. In addition to the powers and duties hereinabove conferred, the governingbody of any county which has provided for a department of assessments headedby a supervisor of assessments may, in lieu of the method now prescribed bylaw, provide for the annual assessments and equalization of assessments ofreal estate by such department. All real estate shall thereafter be assessedas of January 1 of each year. The board of supervisors shall appoint a boardof equalization of real estate assessments composed of not less than threenor more than eleven members. The board of supervisors may provide for termsvarying in duration not to exceed four years. Such equalization board shallhave the powers and duties provided by and be subject to, the provisions ofArticle 14 (§ 58.1-3370 et seq.) of Chapter 32 of Title 58.1. Any personaggrieved by any assessment made under the provisions of this section mayapply for relief to such board as therein provided. The provisions of thissection shall not, however, apply to any real estate assessable under the lawby the State Corporation Commission.
C. The board of equalization may sit in panels of at least three members eachunder the following terms and conditions:
1. The presence of all members in the panel shall be necessary to constitutea quorum.
2. The chairman of the board of equalization shall assign the members topanels and, insofar as practicable, rotate the membership of the panels.
3. The chairman of the board of equalization shall preside over any panel ofwhich he is a member and shall designate the presiding member of the otherpanels.
4. Each panel shall perform its duties independently of the others.
5. The board of equalization shall sit en banc (i) when there is a dissent inthe panel to which the matter was originally assigned and an aggrieved partyrequests an en banc hearing or (ii) upon its own motion at any time, in anymatter in which a majority of the board of equalization determines it isappropriate to do so. The board of equalization sitting en banc shallconsider and decide the matter and may affirm, reverse, overrule or modifyany previous decision by any panel.
(Code 1950, § 15-384.60; 1960, c. 382; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-773; 1968, c.797; 1976, c. 174; 1989, c. 355; 1992, c. 524; 1997, c. 587.)