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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>70224</law_id><section_number>15.2-1115</section_number><catch_line>Abatement or removal of nuisances</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>36-49.1:1</reference><reference>53.1-128</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="15.2">Counties, Cities and Towns</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="II">Powers of Local Government</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="11">Powers of Cities and Towns</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1">Uniform Charter Powers</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> A municipal corporation may compel the abatement or removal of all nuisances, including but not limited to the removal of weeds from private and public property and snow from sidewalks; the covering or removal of offensive, unwholesome, unsanitary or unhealthy substances allowed to accumulate in or on any place or premises; the filling in to the street level, fencing or protection by other means, of the portion of any lot adjacent to a street where the difference in level between the lot and the street constitutes a danger to life and limb; the raising or draining of grounds subject to be covered by stagnant water; and the razing or repair of all unsafe, dangerous or unsanitary public or private buildings, walls or structures which constitute a menace to the health and safety of the occupants thereof or the public. If after such reasonable notice as the municipal corporation may prescribe the owner or owners, occupant or occupants of the property or premises affected by the provisions of this section shall fail to abate or obviate the condition or nuisance, the municipal corporation may do so and charge and collect the cost thereof from the owner or owners, occupant or occupants of the property affected in any manner provided by <span class="dictionary">law</span> for the collection of state or local taxes. <a id="paragraph-253557" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1115/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Every charge authorized by this section in excess of $200 which has been assessed against the owner of any such property and which remains unpaid shall constitute a <span class="dictionary">lien</span> against such property. Such <span class="dictionary">liens</span> shall have the same priority as <span class="dictionary">liens</span> for other unpaid local real estate taxes and shall be enforceable in the same manner as provided in Articles 3 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Limitation on collection of local taxes" href="/58.1-3940/">58.1-3940</a> et seq.) and 4 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="When land may be sold for delinquent taxes; notice of sale; owner's right of redemption" href="/58.1-3965/">58.1-3965</a> et seq.) of Chapter 39 of Title 58.1. A <span class="dictionary">locality</span> may <span class="dictionary">waive</span> such <span class="dictionary">liens</span> in <span class="dictionary">order</span> to facilitate the sale of the property. Such <span class="dictionary">liens</span> may be waived only as to a purchaser who is unrelated by blood or marriage to the owner and who has no business association with the owner. All such <span class="dictionary">liens</span> shall remain a personal obligation of the owner of the property at the time the <span class="dictionary">liens</span> were imposed. <a id="paragraph-253558" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-1115/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 15-77.31; 1958, c. 328; 1962, c. 623, &#xA7; 15.1-867; 1997, c. 587; 2004, cc. 533, 968; 2017, cc. 118, 610.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
