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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>72183</law_id><section_number>15.2-903</section_number><catch_line>Ordinances taxing and regulating &amp;#8220;automobile graveyards,&amp;#8221; &amp;#8220;junkyards,&amp;#8221; and certain vacant and abandoned property</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>15.2-1132</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="9">General Powers of Local Governments</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1">Public Health and Safety; Nuisances</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Any <span class="dictionary">locality</span> may adopt <span class="dictionary">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 <span class="dictionary">ordinances</span>.
			No such <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> shall be adopted until after notice in accordance with &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Adoption of ordinances and resolutions generally; amending or repealing ordinances" href="/15.2-1427/">15.2-1427</a> has been published.
			As used in this section the terms &#x201C;automobile graveyard&#x201D; and &#x201C;junkyard&#x201D; have the meanings ascribed to them in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Junkyards; penalty" href="/33.2-804/">33.2-804</a>. <a id="paragraph-260021" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-903/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The Counties of Bedford, Campbell, Caroline, Fauquier, Rockbridge, Shenandoah, Tazewell, Warren and York may adopt an <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> imposing the screening of automobile graveyards and junkyards, unless screening is impractical due to topography, as set forth in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Junkyards; penalty" href="/33.2-804/">33.2-804</a>. Any such <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> may apply to any automobile graveyard or junkyard within the boundaries of such <span class="dictionary">county</span> regardless of the date on which any such automobile graveyard or junkyard may have come into existence, notwithstanding the provisions of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Junkyards; penalty" href="/33.2-804/">33.2-804</a>. <a id="paragraph-260022" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-903/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The <span class="dictionary">City</span> of Newport News may adopt an <span class="dictionary">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 <span class="dictionary">city</span>&#x2019;s comprehensive plan. <a id="paragraph-260023" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-903/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 15-18; 1956, c. 672; 1958, c. 552; 1962, c. 623, &#xA7; 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.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
