Montgomery County, VA Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)

Sec 7-85 defines a 'parcel' subject to the article as any real estate in areas zoned residential, business, commercial or industrial, or within the boundaries of a platted subdivision, which sweeps in vacant and unimproved lots the same as built-on ones. Sec 7-86 makes trash lying on such a parcel a public nuisance and places a joint and several duty on the owner and occupant to remove it. 'Trash' is defined in Sec 7-85 as abandoned personal property, garbage, refuse, rubbish, litter or debris. Sec 7-91 carves out several categories that are not subject to the article at all, including the corporate limits of the Towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg, areas used for pastures, active farming, or forested, land with vegetative growth regulated under state or federal programs, protected stream buffers, land under an approved natural-landscaping plan, land platted as open space or conservation area meant to stay in a natural state, public park land, and stormwater facilities such as detention ponds.

Where the exemption does not apply, Sec 7-88 requires certified-mail or hand-delivered notice describing the violation and demanding removal within ten calendar days, Sec 7-89 lets the county or a hired contractor clear the lot if the owner does not, and Sec 7-90 converts the county's cost plus an administrative fee into a lien on the parcel that ranks with unpaid local tax liens.