City of Galax, VA Chapter 71 Health and Sanitation

[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Galax as Ch. 8 of the 1974 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]

GENERAL REFERENCES

Building maintenance — See Ch. 37.

Garbage, rubbish and other waste — See Ch. 66.

Housing standards — See Ch. 75.

Junkyards — See Ch. 79.

Waste and sewers — See Ch. 153.

§ 71-1 Health Officer.

The Health Officer of an adjoining County may be appointed Health Officer for the City, with the approval of the City Council and the Board of Supervisors of such County. The Health Officer shall have the powers and perform the duties prescribed for his office by state law, the Charter, this Code and other ordinances and resolutions of the City Council, and he shall be under the general supervision of the City Manager.

§ 71-2 Nuisances prohibited.

It shall be unlawful for any person to permit any noxious, unwholesome or offensive matter, stagnant water or nuisance of any kind, either to health or comfort, to be placed or to remain in any house, cellar, lot or other property belonging to him or in his possession, control or occupancy, and no person shall place a nuisance on the property of another. However, this section shall not be construed to prevent the storing of fertilizers within the City, in warehouses or other buildings removed from the street and where the odor therefrom cannot reach the street.

§ 71-3 Abatement of nuisances.

The Health Officer shall, at the request of the City Manager, inspect all streets, yards, privies and other places alleged to be offensive or likely to become so. When, in the opinion of the Health Officer, anything shall be found which is or is likely to be injurious to the health of the neighborhood or a person or family, the Health Officer shall notify the City Manager thereof, who shall require the owner or occupant of the premises on which such things, or the person causing the nuisance, to correct the evil forthwith in such manner as the City Manager may deem expedient. If any person, after being notified by the City Manager or any officer of the City to remove or abate anything belonging to him or found on the premises owned or occupied by him that is or is likely to be injurious to the health of the neighborhood or any nuisance caused or permitted by him or to bury or destroy any such thing belonging to him or found on the premises owned or occupied by him, shall fail to do so within 24 hours after such notice, he shall be fined one $1 for each hour of such failure after the 24 hours shall have passed, and in addition thereto, the City Manager may have the same done and recover the costs thereof from the person failing to conform to the provisions of this section.

§ 71-4 Wells and springs.

Whenever the Health Officer is informed that any well or spring in the City may be in such condition as to endanger the health of persons who use or may use water therefrom, he shall immediately cause such spring or well to be examined. If after such examination he shall be of the opinion that such spring or well is in such condition as to endanger the health of persons using or who may use water therefrom, he shall serve a warning notice on those who are liable to use the water and put a warning sign upon or near to such well or spring or other source of water and shall summon the owner of the property, or his agent if he is a nonresident, or his guardian or committee, requiring him to appear before the judge of a court of competent jurisdiction to show cause why such spring or well should not be closed or put in safe condition.

§ 71-5 Buildings failing to meet minimum health and sanitation standards.

Whenever an inspection by the Health Officer or by any other City officer at the direction of the City Manager of any building or other structure is found not to meet the minimum health or sanitation standards established by state law, this Code or other ordinance, written notice specifying each such deficiency so found to exist shall be given to the owner or person in charge of such building or structure, which notice shall require such owner or person in charge to remedy each such deficiency within a reasonable period of time, to be stated in such notice, which shall be not less than 10 nor more than 45 days and which shall be served by personal service or by registered mail or by any other lawful means for the service of civil process, and it shall then become the duty of such owner or person in charge to comply with the requirements of such notice within the period of time stated therein, and each day of failure so to comply shall constitute a separate offense.