Spokane County, WA Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)

SCC 6.13.020(1) defines "abandoned property" as a property over which a person in charge no longer asserts control due to death, incarceration, or any other reason, and which is either unsecured or subject to occupation by an unauthorized individual. SCC 6.13.040(2)(K) then lists "any abandoned property" among the specific conditions the county declares a nuisance, alongside solid waste accumulation, unpermitted vehicle dismantling yards, and unsecured hazards. Because the duty to keep a lot free of nuisances runs with the land under SCC 6.13.050, a new owner inherits an existing violation and cannot cure it by claiming the condition predated their purchase.

Enforcement starts with a written notice of nuisance violation under SCC 6.13.070 identifying the parcel, describing the violation, and setting a voluntary-compliance deadline; the notice must warn that missing the 14-day window can trigger a $250 class 1 civil infraction under SCC 6.13.090. A code enforcement officer can skip the notice and go straight to an infraction when an emergency exists, the lot is a repeat violator, or the property meets the chronic-nuisance threshold in SCC 6.13.040(3), three occurrences in 60 days or four in twelve months.

If the owner ignores an abatement agreement, the county may abate the lot itself under SCC 6.13.080, secure or clear it, and bill the owner by certified mail; unpaid bills after 30 days become a lien against the property ranking equally with county taxes. Incidental expenses recoverable include labor, hauling, storage, and a minimum $5,000 administration fee. Anyone who obstructs county crews during abatement faces a separate misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine under SCC 6.13.080(5). A person cited can obtain a certificate of compliance from the issuing officer if they abate the violation before a Spokane County District Court finding, which can result in dismissal of the infraction.