The junk and nuisance ordinance first appeared under the legal section on the Tuscaloosa News on April 15, 2008 and was stated to go into effect on July 1, 2008.

The next day several members from our group attended the regular business meeting of the Commissioners. When questioned about the ordinance they stated that they did not know how it got in the paper but the County attorney finally admitted to having it put in the Tuscaloosa News. The Commissioners stated that this was not the ordinance that they wanted to go with. Several, of us were handed a different version, which has basically the same wording as the one that was in the paper.

Our Commissioners have not decided on a specific junk and nuisance ordinance but are in the process of looking at one to pass.

 

The junk and nuisance ordinance will define junk as:

Old or scrap copper, brass, rope, rags, batteries, paper trash, rubber debris, waste or junked, dismantled or wrecked automobiles, or parts thereof, iron, steel, and other old or scrap ferrous or nonferrous material. (Code of Alabama 1975, Section 11-80-10)

It could also include the following.

Waste or junked, dismantled, or wreck automobiles -- Any vehicle, including travel trailers, mobile homes, motor homes, motorcycles, boats and buses, which meets any of the following criteria:

a) Is apparently inoperable;
b) Is without valid license or current license plates;
c) Is extensively damaged, including but not limited to damaged windows, missing wheels, motors, tires, transmission, or other major parts; or
d) Has a fair market value equal only to the approximate value of the scrap in it.

The ordinance originally published in the Tuscaloosa News even used the phrase “which offend the aesthetics of the community” and also defined the following as a nuisance:

“[O]ne or more inoperable motor vehicles or one or more motor vehicles which do not have a current license tag (unless such motor vehicles are within an enclosed garage or other enclosed building)”

Once you are cited for a nuisance or for having “junk” on your property you will be given 10 days to remove the nuisance or junk. If you do not comply you will be fined $150.00 a day not to exceed $5000.00 plus administrative fees. The County defines what junk is and is not, you do not. If you want to appeal the “enforcement” officer’s decision you can appeal his decision to the Commissioners, not a Judge.

We presently do not have a junk and nuisance ordinance in Tuscaloosa County but under “Limited” Home Rule this ordinance could be passed at any time without a vote of the people of Tuscaloosa County.