(L to R) Councilwoman Debbie Laudermilk, Mayor Jeff Irvine, Vice Mayor Dale Burdette, and Councilman Michael Foster. Councilman Carl "Shorty" Wolfe was not present at the meeting due to a recent death in the family.

Following Council Vote, Courtesy Notices Will Now be Given to Clifton Forge Residents with Inoperable Vehicles By Jennifer Bailey Staff Writer   Clifton Forge, VA (Aug. 11, 2026)- The Clifton Forge Town Council met for its monthly meeting on the evening of Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. in the upstairs of Clifton Forge Town Hall. During the meeting, several items were discussed, including "an ordinance amending Section 82-15 of the Code of the Town of Clifton Forge, Virginia of 2015, as amended, for the purpose of providing for courtesy notices for inoperable vehicles unlawfully parked." The purpose of the amendment, as it's written, is to "provide for courtesy notices of 72 hours for inoperable vehicles prior to enforcement." The current ordinance states that it is unlawful "whether as owner, tenant, occupant, lessee or otherwise, for any person, firm or corporation to keep, except within a fully enclosed building or structure or otherwise shielded or screened from view, on any property zoned for residential, commercial or agricultural purposes, any vehicle, trailer or semitrailer which is inoperable." It further explains that "shielded or screened from view" means someone standing at ground level outside of the property where the vehicle is located. "Inoperable vehicle" is described in the ordinance as "any motor vehicle, trailer or semi-trailer, as defined in Code of Virginia, § 46.2-100" which "is not in operating condition; which, for a period of 60 days or longer, has been partially or totally disassembled by the removal of tires and wheels, the engine or other essential parts required for operation of the vehicle; or on which there are displayed neither valid license plates nor a valid inspection decal." Subsection (c) has been added to the current ordinance, and it reads as followed: (c) Upon finding a violation of this section, a courtesy notice shall be given as provided in subsection (d), explaining the nature of the violation found and that the retention of the vehicle on any parcel of land in the city which meets the criteria in this section constitutes a nuisance and commanding abatement of the nuisance by removal of such vehicle from the property to an authorized place of storage, or by bringing the vehicle into compliance with the provisions of this section, within 72 hours thereafter or within the time period set forth in the notice." Subsection (d) was amended to read "14" as opposed to "10" in the following: (d) Any person violating any provision of this section shall be given a notice that the keeping of such inoperable vehicle constitutes a violation which must be abated within 14 days from the date of such notice." The notice will "reasonably describe the subject inoperable vehicle; state that any owner of such inoperable vehicle or any owner of property uopn which such inoperable vehicle is located may appeal the decision that the vehicle is in violation...; [and] state that an administrative fee in the amount of $150.00 shall be chargeable to and paid by the owner of such inoperable vehicle or the owner of the property upon which such vehicle is located and may be collected as taxes and levies are collected." It goes on to describe that "service of the notice provided for in subsection (c)... shall be by first-class mail, personal delivery or posting in a conspicuous place" and that "failure of any person to place such inoperable vehicle into a fully enclosed structure, to screen or shield such vehicle from view as set forth in subsection (a) of this section, or to remove such vehicle, or render such vehicle inoperable within the time prescribed in subsection (c) of this section shall permit the town through its agents or employees the right to remove any such inoperable vehicle from the property and to dispose of the inoperable vehicle." The bill for removal will then be given to the owner of the inoperable vehicle and "may be collected by the town as taxes and levis are collected; and every cost authorized by this section with which the owner of the property has been assessed shall constitute a lien against the property from which the inoperable vehicle was removed, the lien to continue until actual payment of such costs have been made to the town." The remainder of the ordinance details that Section 82-15 is inapplicable to licensed businesses "which on June 26, 1970 is regularly engaged in business as an automobile dealer, salvage dealer or scrap processer" and that the owners of the inoperable vehicles are free to appeal the decision of the code enforcement administrator, which would ultimately result in a hearing "on a date not later than ten business days after the filing of the appeal." Councilman Michael Foster noted that the language was unclear in the ordinance as it pertains to how long owners have to remove the inoperable vehicles prior to action being taken by the town. As such, it was decided to have the ordinance re-worded for clarity. However, the ordinance did pass with the new subsection (c) and edited (d) subsection with "yes" votes from Mayor Jeff Irvine, Vice Mayor Dale Burdette, Councilwoman Debbie Laudermilk, and Councilman Michael Foster. Councilman Carl "Shorty" Wolfe was not present for the meeting due to a recent death in the family.

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