                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

ABATEMENT OR REMOVAL OF NUISANCES (§ 15.2-1115)

A. 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
law for the collection of state or local taxes.

B. 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 lien against such property. Such liens shall have the same priority
as liens for other unpaid local real estate taxes and shall be enforceable in
the same manner as provided in Articles 3 (&#xA7; 58.1-3940 et seq.) and 4
(&#xA7; 58.1-3965 et seq.) of Chapter 39 of Title 58.1. A locality may waive
such liens in order to facilitate the sale of the property. Such liens 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 liens shall remain
a personal obligation of the owner of the property at the time the liens were
imposed.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 15-77.31; 1958, c. 328; 1962, c. 623, § 15.1-867; 1997,
c. 587; 2004, cc. 533, 968; 2017, cc. 118, 610.