Pierce County, WA Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)
Key Facts
- Code
- PCC Ch. 8.08
- Covers appliances/pits
- PCC 8.08.050(E)
- Owner pays abatement
- PCC 8.08.010(E)
- Applies to
- Unincorporated lots
Summary
Vacant and rural lots in unincorporated Pierce County fall under Code Chapter 8.08, which makes accumulated solid waste, junk vehicles, abandoned appliances and unsecured hazards public nuisances regardless of whether the parcel is occupied. Owners remain responsible for abatement costs under PCC 8.08.
Unsecured hazards accessible to and posing a danger to minor children, animals, and any person... which include, but are not limited to: unused, abandoned, or discarded refrigerators, freezers, or large appliances, or any unsecured or abandoned excavation, pit, mine, cistern, storage tank, or shaft.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-515, and legislation passed through May 26, 2026).
Full Breakdown
PCC 8.08.050 targets the exact conditions that plague vacant parcels: subsection (E) declares unsecured hazards such as "unused, abandoned, or discarded refrigerators, freezers, or large appliances, or any unsecured or abandoned excavation, pit, mine, cistern, storage tank, or shaft" to be nuisances; subsection (F) covers accumulated solid waste; and subsection (I) covers accumulated junk vehicles, derelict vessels and vehicle parts. PCC 8.08.010(B) notes these conditions provide breeding grounds for rodents, hornets and mosquitoes and attract illegal dumping. The county holds the landowner responsible for the cost of abatement under PCC 8.08.010(E). Illegal dumping on a vacant lot is separately a misdemeanor under PCC 8.32.020.
Violations & Fines
Nuisances on a vacant lot are abatable by the county after notice, with costs charged to the owner. Dumping garbage on private property without the owner's consent is a misdemeanor under PCC 8.32.020; littering also carries penalties under RCW 70A.200.060.
Frequently Asked Questions
I own an empty rural lot. Am I responsible for dumped trash?
Are open pits or tanks on a vacant lot regulated?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pierce County
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