Spotsylvania County, VA Code Violation Reporting: Response Times (2026)

Under Sec. 13-26, the county health officer has the duty to inspect the county from time to time for conditions or activities that constitute a nuisance, and must investigate upon any complaint filed by a responsible person. Sec. 13-27 gives the health officer and assistants the right to enter private premises to investigate, with reasonable advance notice to occupants unless advance warning would defeat the purpose of the entry. If the officer finds an ongoing nuisance activity, Sec. 13-28 requires the officer to promptly notify the violator by the most expeditious means to cease and desist.

Where the nuisance is a physical condition rather than an activity, Sec. 13-29 governs the response timeline: the health officer must give written notice describing the condition and directing the owner, occupant, or person in charge to remedy it within a stated period that cannot exceed ten days. The recipient may appeal to the Board of Supervisors within two days of service, which stays the notice pending the Board's final decision, unless the officer's notice states the condition is an imminent hazard to health, safety, or welfare, in which case compliance is required immediately regardless of any appeal.

If the ten-day deadline or the Board's appeal ruling is not met, Sec. 13-30 authorizes the county to send its own crews to abate the condition and bill the cost to the owner, collectible in the same manner as delinquent county taxes. Abating the condition through this civil process does not bar the county from separately prosecuting the underlying nuisance.