Whenever land and noncarrier and nonutility improvements of public service corporations and other persons with property assessed pursuant to this chapter are appraised for local taxation by comparison to the appraised values placed by local assessors on similar properties in the taxing district, they shall be assessed by application of the local stated ratio of assessments to appraisals, and taxed at the rate applicable to other real property in the taxing district. Such property is hereby defined as a separate item of taxation for such purpose and shall be identified as a separate class of property for local taxation.
Va. Code § 58.1-2609