Chapter 8 - AUTOMOBILE GRAVEYARDS#

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Cross reference— Motor vehicles and traffic, Ch. 22; junk dealers, Ch. 27.

State Law reference— Authority of city to regulate operation and maintenance of automobile graveyards, Code of Virginia, § 15.2-903.

Sec. 8-1. - Definition.#

For the purpose of this chapter, the term "automobile graveyard" shall mean any lot or place which is exposed to the weather and upon which more than five (5) motor vehicles of any kind, incapable of being operated, and which it would not be economically practical to make operative, are placed, located or found.

(Code 1963, § 7-1)

State Law reference— Similar definition with respect to automobile graveyards adjacent to highways, Code of Virginia, § 33.1-348.

Sec. 8-2. - Penalty for violation of chapter.#

A violation of any provision of this chapter shall constitute a Class 3 misdemeanor and shall be punishable as such, unless otherwise specifically provided.

Sec. 8-3. - Fence required; fence specifications and location.#

Automobile graveyards shall be entirely enclosed by a fence eight (8) feet in height and constructed of planks, boards, corrugated iron or masonry, brick, cinder block or concrete, so as to exclude such graveyards from public view.§ Every such fence shall be located at least twenty (20) feet from the street or road and in no event project beyond the building line of other buildings on the same street or road.§

(Code 1963, § 7-3)

Sec. 8-4. - Maintenance of fence.#

The fence required by section 8-3 shall, at all times, be kept neatly painted and in good repair, to the satisfaction of the building official.§

Sec. 8-5. - Use of fence for advertising purposes.#

The fence enclosing an automobile graveyard shall not be used for billposting or other advertising purposes, except that a space not larger than six (6) feet by twelve (12) feet may be used for the advertisement of the business of the owner of such graveyard.§ Where such graveyard fronts on more than one street or road, the use of space for advertisement herein permitted shall extend to each street or road on which the graveyard abuts.

Sec. 8-6. - Contents of yard not to extend above height of fence.#

The contents of an automobile graveyard shall not be placed or deposited to a height greater than the height of the fence required by section 8-3.§

Sec. 8-7. - Premises to be kept free of rubbish and waste matter.#

An automobile graveyard shall, as far as practicable, be kept clear and free of all rubbish or waste matter.§

Cross reference— Garbage and refuse, Ch. 18.

Sec. 8-8. - Abutting sidewalks to be kept clean.#

All sidewalks abutting upon automobile graveyards shall be kept clear and clean and free of all vehicles, trash or other waste matter.§

Cross reference— General requirement that sidewalks be kept clean, § 33-28.

Sec. 8-9. - Abutting streets to be kept clear.#

All streets abutting automobile graveyards shall be kept clear and free of all vehicles incapable of being operated under their own power.§

Cross reference— Streets, Ch. 33.

Sec. 8-10. - Fire extinguishers and other safety devices.#

Safety devices, such as fire extinguishers or other like apparatus, may be required in, or for use in, automobile graveyards wherever, in the opinion of the chief of the fire department, such devices are necessary in the interest of public safety.§

Cross reference— Fire prevention and protection, Ch. 15.

Sec. 8-11. - Open fires.#

No open fires for the burning of rubbish, trash, vehicles or any part thereof or other waste matter shall be permitted in any automobile graveyard.§ An accidental or casual fire occasioned by the use of an acetylene torch shall not be regarded as an open fire under this section, where it is shown that the person operating or maintaining the graveyard has, by the use of fire extinguishers or other safety devices, made reasonable effort to prevent the same.

Sec. 8-12. - Gasoline to be drained from vehicles.#

All tanks and engines of vehicles in automobile graveyards shall be kept thoroughly drained of gasoline.§