Questions about property/zoning violations

[lbb87]

What is the name of your state? Virginia

There are county laws that say you can't have trash, garbage, refuse, litter, dump heaps, or junk on your property unless it's behind a solid enclosed fence.

Dumps heaps are defined as: Any lot on which trash, debris, garbage or other waste, junk or scrap material is dumped or deposited, and which has not been approved as either a debris landfill or a sanitary landfill.

Junk is defined as: Any scrap, dismantled, inoperable, or dilapidated motor vehicles, including parts; machinery; household furniture and appliances; construction equipment and materials; tanks and drums; tires; pipes; wire; wood; paper; metals; rags; glass; and any other kind of salvage or waste material.

Refuse and trash are defined as: Waste materials including ashes, garbage, rubbish, junk, industrial waste, dead animals, and other solid waste materials, including salvable waste


If you have these things on your property, the county can come in after a certain period of time to cleanup your property.

What I am interested in knowing is if any of these things would be considered a violation and could be taken: tools, building material, antiques, tires, kerosene stove, cleaning fluid, and car batteries.

I already have an opinion but I'd like to hear other opinions as well. By the way, I'm asking this for someone else. They've asked their court appointed attorney but they won't give a straight answer. So, I said I'd look into it for them.

 

[LindaP777]

What I am interested in knowing is if any of these things would be considered a violation and could be taken: tools, building material, antiques, tires, kerosene stove, cleaning fluid, and car batteries.

Sounds like junk, trash and a dump to me! Also sounds like the local Tire Discounters. Pictures are always nice.

 

[PghREA]

Sounds like junk, trash and a dump to me! Also sounds like the local Tire Discounters. Pictures are always nice.

I agree. What is treasures to the owner make be considered junk to everyone else.

 

[lbb87]

Sounds like junk, trash and a dump to me! Also sounds like the local Tire Discounters. Pictures are always nice.

Yeah, it looked like a junk yard and I think some people who drove by actually thought it was.

But the guy's problem is that he had several things (the tools, tires, etc.) that he believes are not "junk" and that if the county came to clean, that they should not take those items. I'm interested in finding out whether those items would be something the county could legally remove.

I wish I could post pictures because I think you'd really be shocked as to what it looked liked. But the guy doesn't want me posting pictures and I have to respect that. But it's interesting that someone could let their property get so junked up like that and not even care that it looked like a tornado just went through there.