15.2-900 - Abatement or removal of nuisances by localities; recovery of costs.
§ 15.2-900. Abatement or removal of nuisances by localities; recovery ofcosts.
In addition to the remedy provided by § 48-5 and any other remedy provided bylaw, any locality may maintain an action to compel a responsible party toabate, raze, or remove a public nuisance. If the public nuisance presents animminent and immediate threat to life or property, then the locality mayabate, raze, or remove such public nuisance, and a locality may bring anaction against the responsible party to recover the necessary costs incurredfor the provision of public emergency services reasonably required to abateany such public nuisance.
The term "nuisance" includes, but is not limited to, dangerous or unhealthysubstances which have escaped, spilled, been released or which have beenallowed to accumulate in or on any place and all unsafe, dangerous, orunsanitary public or private buildings, walls, or structures which constitutea menace to the health and safety of the occupants thereof or the public. Theterm "responsible party" includes, but is not limited to, the owner,occupier, or possessor of the premises where the nuisance is located, theowner or agent of the owner of the material which escaped, spilled, or wasreleased and the owner or agent of the owner who was transporting orotherwise responsible for such material and whose acts or negligence causedsuch public nuisance.
(1990, c. 674, § 15.1-29.21; 1997, c. 587.)