Enforcement

The Planning and Zoning Department is responsible for enforcing the Town's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO).  In addition, the Department handles all property maintenance violations.  Specific information about the most common violations are found below:

Tall Grass/Weeds

Strasburg Town Code Section 38-113.a requires that "the owner of vacant, developed, or undeveloped property in the town shall cut the grass, weeds, and other foreign growth on the property . . . whenever such grass, weeds, and other foreign growth have reached a height of eight inches (8") or more." 

• Property owners must cut the grass, weeds, and other foreign growth within ten (10) days of receiving a notice of violation from the Town.
• If the owner fails to cut the grass and weeds, the Town may perform the work at the owner's expense.  
• Only one notice per growing season (January 1st - December 31st) will be mailed to the property owner.

Signs

UDO Section 2.39.1 states that "Except as otherwise provided in this UDO, it shall be unlawful for any person to erect a sign in the Town, or cause the same to be done, without first obtaining a sign permit for each such sign from the Zoning Administrator as required in this UDO." 

• The most common type of sign-related violations are for temporary signs and off-premises signs. 
• UDO Section 4.19.6.D limits temporary signs "to thirty (30) day periods with no more than three (3) uses within a period of 365 consecutive days."  Temporary signs also require a sign permit.
• UDO Section 4.19.4 prohibits all off-premise signs.

The Town utilizes its standard Zoning Permit Application for all sign permits.

Trash

Town Code Section 70 prohibits "any person to place or deposit . . . any human or animal excrement, garbage, or other objectionable waste" in an unsanitary manner upon public or private property within the Town. 

• In addition, "all garbage, ashes, and trash . . . shall be placed in suitable receptacles." 

File a Complaint

The Town's Property Violation Complaint Form can be filled out and emailed, mailed, or hand-delivered to Town Hall (174 E King St, Strasburg, VA 22657).  For general questions about code enforcement, please contact the Planning and Zoning Department.  Pursuant to the Code of Virginia Section 2.2-3705.3.8, the identities of all "complainants furnished in confidence" are specifically exempted from disclosure as a result of a Virginia Freedom of Information Act.