James City County, VA Hurricane Preparedness: Storm Debris (2026)

Article VIII of Chapter 11 governs debris removal following a disaster. Section 11-72 states the purpose: removing debris from local roads after an emergency is necessary to eliminate or lessen an immediate threat to life, public health and safety, and to eliminate immediate threats of significant damage to improved property. Section 11-73 defines 'debris removal' as the clearance of disaster-related material from public or private rights-of-way, and defines 'emergency' as any natural or man-made disaster or other emergency for which a local, state or federal declaration of emergency is made.

The article only reaches 'local roads,' defined as private roads serving more than five homes where the underlying owner has signed a memorandum of understanding with the county, and public roads designated in a memorandum of agreement with the Virginia Department of Transportation resident administrator; a memorandum of understanding must be in a form approved by the county attorney and executed by the county administrator. Under § 11-74, the county, acting through its police power authority to protect public health and safety, along with its contractors, agents, employees or assigns, is responsible for removing and disposing of debris from local roads when an emergency is declared, and the county director of emergency management is assigned to implement and oversee that removal and disposal work. 21, tying the county's local-road authority to the state's broader emergency management structure without duplicating it.