{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/15.2-903.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/15.2-903.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/15.2-903.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/15.2-903.html"}],"law_id":72183,"edition_id":1,"section_id":72183,"structure_id":13288,"section_number":"15.2-903","catch_line":"Ordinances taxing and regulating “automobile graveyards,” “junkyards,” and certain vacant and abandoned property","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 15-18; 1956, c. 672; 1958, c. 552; 1962, c. 623, \u00a7 15.1-28; 1968, c. 409; 1993, c. 714; 1995, c. 207; 1997, c. 587; 1998, c. 180; 2001, c. 10; 2004, c. 493; 2005, c. 702; 2006, cc. 669, 722; 2024, cc. 225, 242.","full_text":"A\n\nAny locality may adopt ordinances imposing license taxes upon and otherwise regulating the maintenance and operation of places commonly known as automobile graveyards and junkyards and may prescribe fines and other punishment for violations of such ordinances.\n\t\t\tNo such ordinance shall be adopted until after notice in accordance with § 15.2-1427 has been published.\n\t\t\tAs used in this section the terms “automobile graveyard” and “junkyard” have the meanings ascribed to them in § 33.2-804.B\n\nThe Counties of Bedford, Campbell, Caroline, Fauquier, Rockbridge, Shenandoah, Tazewell, Warren and York may adopt an ordinance imposing the screening of automobile graveyards and junkyards, unless screening is impractical due to topography, as set forth in § 33.2-804. Any such ordinance may apply to any automobile graveyard or junkyard within the boundaries of such county regardless of the date on which any such automobile graveyard or junkyard may have come into existence, notwithstanding the provisions of § 33.2-804.C\n\nThe City of Newport News may adopt an ordinance imposing screening or landscape screening for retail or commercial properties that have been vacant or abandoned for more than three years within designated areas consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":260021,"text":"Any locality may adopt ordinances imposing license taxes upon and otherwise regulating the maintenance and operation of places commonly known as automobile graveyards and junkyards and may prescribe fines and other punishment for violations of such ordinances.\n\t\t\tNo such ordinance shall be adopted until after notice in accordance with § 15.2-1427 has been published.\n\t\t\tAs used in this section the terms “automobile graveyard” and “junkyard” have the meanings ascribed to them in § 33.2-804.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":260022,"text":"The Counties of Bedford, Campbell, Caroline, Fauquier, Rockbridge, Shenandoah, Tazewell, Warren and York may adopt an ordinance imposing the screening of automobile graveyards and junkyards, unless screening is impractical due to topography, as set forth in § 33.2-804. Any such ordinance may apply to any automobile graveyard or junkyard within the boundaries of such county regardless of the date on which any such automobile graveyard or junkyard may have come into existence, notwithstanding the provisions of § 33.2-804.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":260023,"text":"The City of Newport News may adopt an ordinance imposing screening or landscape screening for retail or commercial properties that have been vacant or abandoned for more than three years within designated areas consistent with the city’s comprehensive plan.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13288,"edition_id":1,"name":"Public Health and Safety; Nuisances","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13058,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:34","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:34","permalink":{"id":156359,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13288,"identifier":"1","token":"15.2\/II\/9\/1","url":"\/15.2\/II\/9\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13058,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Powers of Local Governments","identifier":"9","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12733,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:11","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:11","permalink":{"id":156357,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13058,"identifier":"9","token":"15.2\/II\/9","url":"\/15.2\/II\/9\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12733,"edition_id":1,"name":"Powers of Local Government","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12720,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:50","permalink":{"id":152369,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12733,"identifier":"II","token":"15.2\/II","url":"\/15.2\/II\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12720,"edition_id":1,"name":"Counties, Cities and Towns","identifier":"15.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":151279,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12720,"identifier":"15.2","token":"15.2","url":"\/15.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":81812,"structure_id":13288,"section_number":"15.2-900","catch_line":"Abatement or removal of nuisances by localities; 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civil penalty","url":"\/15.2-926.4\/","token":"15.2\/II\/9\/1\/15.2-926.4","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":83896,"structure_id":13288,"section_number":"15.2-902","catch_line":"Authority of locality to control certain noxious weeds","url":"\/15.2-902\/","token":"15.2\/II\/9\/1\/15.2-902","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":64391,"structure_id":13288,"section_number":"15.2-904","catch_line":"Authority to restrict keeping of inoperable motor vehicles, etc., on residential or commercial property; removal of such vehicles; penalty","url":"\/15.2-904\/","token":"15.2\/II\/9\/1\/15.2-904","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-903\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 13 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1956, chapter 672; in 1958, chapter 552; in 1962, chapter 623; in 1968, chapter 409; in 1993, chapter 714; in 1995, chapter 207<\/a>; in 1997, chapter 587<\/a>; in 1998, chapter 180<\/a>; in 2001, chapter 10<\/a>; in 2004, chapter 493<\/a>; in 2005, chapter 702<\/a>; in 2006, chapters 669<\/a> and 722<\/a>; in 2024, chapters 225<\/a> and 242<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":62143,"section_number":"15.2-1132","catch_line":"Volunteer property maintenance and zoning inspectors in certain cities","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-1132\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":65433,"section_number":"15.2-1427","catch_line":"Adoption of ordinances and resolutions generally; amending or repealing ordinances","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-1427\/"},{"id":69317,"section_number":"33.2-804","catch_line":"Junkyards; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/33.2-804\/"}],"permalink":{"id":156377,"object_type":"law","relational_id":72183,"identifier":"15.2-903","token":"15.2\/II\/9\/1\/15.2-903","url":"\/15.2-903\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-903\/","token":"15.2\/II\/9\/1\/15.2-903","dublin_core":{"Title":"Ordinances taxing and regulating “automobile graveyards,” “junkyards,” and certain vacant and abandoned property","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-903","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Any locality<\/span> may adopt ordinances<\/span> imposing license taxes upon and otherwise regulating the maintenance and operation of places commonly known as automobile graveyards and junkyards and may prescribe fines and other punishment for violations of such ordinances<\/span>.\n\t\t\tNo such ordinance<\/span> shall be adopted until after notice in accordance with § 15.2-1427<\/a> has been published.\n\t\t\tAs used in this section the terms “automobile graveyard” and “junkyard” have the meanings ascribed to them in § 33.2-804<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The Counties of Bedford, Campbell, Caroline, Fauquier, Rockbridge, Shenandoah, Tazewell, Warren and York may adopt an ordinance<\/span> imposing the screening of automobile graveyards and junkyards, unless screening is impractical due to topography, as set forth in § 33.2-804<\/a>. Any such ordinance<\/span> may apply to any automobile graveyard or junkyard within the boundaries of such county<\/span> regardless of the date on which any such automobile graveyard or junkyard may have come into existence, notwithstanding the provisions of § 33.2-804<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The City<\/span> of Newport News may adopt an ordinance<\/span> imposing screening or landscape screening for retail or commercial properties that have been vacant or abandoned for more than three years within designated areas consistent with the city<\/span>’s comprehensive plan. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nORDINANCES TAXING AND REGULATING “AUTOMOBILE GRAVEYARDS,”\n“JUNKYARDS,” AND CERTAIN VACANT AND ABANDONED PROPERTY (\u00a7 15.2-903)\n\nA. Any locality may adopt ordinances imposing license taxes upon and otherwise\nregulating the maintenance and operation of places commonly known as automobile\ngraveyards and junkyards and may prescribe fines and other punishment for\nviolations of such ordinances.\n\t\t\tNo such ordinance shall be adopted until after notice in accordance with\n§ 15.2-1427 has been published.\n\t\t\tAs used in this section the terms “automobile graveyard” and\n“junkyard” have the meanings ascribed to them in § 33.2-804.\n\nB. The Counties of Bedford, Campbell, Caroline, Fauquier, Rockbridge,\nShenandoah, Tazewell, Warren and York may adopt an ordinance imposing the\nscreening of automobile graveyards and junkyards, unless screening is\nimpractical due to topography, as set forth in § 33.2-804. Any such\nordinance may apply to any automobile graveyard or junkyard within the\nboundaries of such county regardless of the date on which any such automobile\ngraveyard or junkyard may have come into existence, notwithstanding the\nprovisions of § 33.2-804.\n\nC. The City of Newport News may adopt an ordinance imposing screening or\nlandscape screening for retail or commercial properties that have been vacant or\nabandoned for more than three years within designated areas consistent with the\ncity’s comprehensive plan.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 15-18; 1956, c. 672; 1958, c. 552; 1962, c. 623, \u00a7\n15.1-28; 1968, c. 409; 1993, c. 714; 1995, c. 207; 1997, c. 587; 1998, c. 180;\n2001, c. 10; 2004, c. 493; 2005, c. 702; 2006, cc. 669, 722; 2024, cc. 225, 242.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}