Ordinances taxing and regulating "automobile graveyards," "junkyards," and certain vacant and abandoned property
Va. Code Ann. § 15.2-903
in effectA. 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.
No such ordinance shall be adopted until after notice in accordance with § 15.2-1427 has been published.
As used in this section the terms "automobile graveyard" and "junkyard" have the meanings ascribed to them in § 33.2-804 .
B. 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 .
C. 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.
Code 1950, § 15-18; 1956, c. 672; 1958, c. 552; 1962, c. 623, § 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 .
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/15.2-903/Fetched: 10/16/2026