Virginia coordinate systems; updates several references in Code.
Summary
SB1173 updates Virginia’s statutory coordinate-system references to add a new “Virginia Coordinate System of 2022” alongside the existing 1927 and 1983 systems. The bill revises the definitions of the North and South Zones, the technical projection and datum descriptions, and the rules for how coordinates are expressed and converted. It also updates the law governing coal mine maps so that maps are prepared on the Virginia Coordinate System of 2022, South Zone, unless the Chief approves otherwise.
The measure is largely a technical and administrative modernization bill. It aligns state law with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Geodetic Survey’s newer geodetic framework and makes the change effective only when the federal State Plane Coordinate System of 2022 is officially released. Old Dominion University is designated to certify that the contingency has been met for the Virginia Code Commission. The bill does not appear to change substantive land-use or mining policy, but it updates the legal standards used for surveying, land descriptions, and mine mapping.
Impact
The bill amends multiple sections of Title 1 governing Virginia coordinate systems and one section of Title 45.2 governing coal mine maps. It adds the 2022 coordinate system to the Code, updates technical definitions and conversion requirements, and requires coal mine maps to use the 2022 South Zone reference. Surveyors, engineers, land records users, and coal operators will need to follow the new coordinate reference once the federal system is released and the contingency is certified.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial. It passed the Senate and House unanimously, and the recorded votes show no opposition at any stage. The committee reports also indicate approval with amendments, suggesting the bill was treated as a routine technical update rather than a policy dispute.
Contention
There is little visible contention in the record, likely because the bill is a technical conformity measure. The only notable issue is the timing and implementation trigger: the law takes effect only after NOAA/National Geodetic Survey officially releases the State Plane Coordinate System of 2022, and Old Dominion University must certify that event. The substantive change most directly affecting regulated parties is the switch for coal mine maps from the 1983 South Zone to the 2022 South Zone, but no opposition is reflected in the votes or available discussion.