CHAPTER 672

An Act to amend and reenact § 15-18 of the Code of Virginia, relating
to automobile graveyards and powers of governing bodies of counties
and cities in relation thereto. TH 690]

Approved March 31, 1956

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

L. That § 15-18 of the Code of Virginia be amended and reenacted as
ollows:

§ 15-18. The board of supervisors of each county and the council
of each city and town in this State may adopt ordinances imposing
licenses upon and otherwise regulating the maintenance and operation of
places commonly known as automobile graveyards, and may prescribe
fines and other punishment for violations of such ordinances.
CHS. 672, 673] ACTS OF ASSEMBLY 1029

No such ordinance shall be adopted until after notice of intention to
propose the same for adoption shall have been published prior to its
adoption once a week for two successive weeks in some newspaper pub-
lished in such county or city or, if there be no newspaper published
therein, then in some newspaper having general circulation in such
county or city and no such ordinance shall become effective until it shall
have been published in full for two successive weeks in a like newspaper.

The governing body of any county or city may by resolution adopt
an ordinance providing that any person who maintains a place commonly
known as an automobile graveyard, any part of which is within one
thousand feet of any highway comprising a part of the State highway
system shall erect and maintain a fence or hedge around such automobile
graveyard. The State Highway Commissioner shall enforce the provisions
of this paragraph and if he finds the owner or operator of any automobile
graveyard who fails or refuses to erect or maintain any such fence or
hedge he shall give notice to him in accordance with § 8-51 of the Code
that on a day named in such notice he will proceed to erect a fence or
hedge thereabout at the expense of the owner or operator thereof or both
or seek to enjoin the operation thereof. If the owner or operator has not
erected such fence or hedge or refuses to do so, the Commissioner shall
proceed to erect the same at the expense of the owner or operator thereof
or both or institute proceedings to enjoin the operation thereof. The
expense of erecting any such fence or hedge shall be recoverable in the
manner provided for the collection of taxes due the Commonwealth. Any
person violating any provision of this section shall be guilty of a misde-
meanor and punished as provided by law. Each day of operation in viola-
tion hereof shall constitute a separate offense. Offenses hereunder may
be enjoined in the manner provided by law.

As used in this section the term “automobile graveyard” shall mean
any lot or place which is exposed to the weather and upon which more
than five motor vehicles of any kind, incapable of being operated, are
placed, located or found.