Community Maintenance

Property Code Enforcement:

The goal of the Property Code Enforcement program is to ensure properties in Prince William County are maintained and used in accordance with the County’s land use requirements (“zoning”), and to ensure that structures are well-maintained for the health and safety of residents. These codes protect property values and help maintain the quality of life where we live. Each year, Property Code Inspectors handle between 750-1,520 code violations in the Woodbridge District alone. The most common violations are:

1. Junk or trash piled up in the yard, or trash cans stored in view;
2. Storage of household or construction items in the yard (must be screened or in a shed);
3. Inoperative vehicles and commercial vehicles on residential property;
4. Illegal accessory structures without permits (sheds, fences, decks, etc.);
5. Tall grass or weeds higher than 12 inches on residential properties;
6. Overcrowding (Too many adults living in one home).

The best approach is to talk to your neighbor and see if you can solve the issue through neighborhood cooperation. HOA’s and condo associations have internal resources to handle many of these problems. Otherwise, please check with Neighborhood Services to see if the condition is in violation of the code. For details of services and common violations, please visit http://www.pwcgov.org/pce. If a violation is suspected, enforcement inspectors will investigate. Violators can be fined and/or taken to court, if they do not comply.

Blight Removal:

Vacant or blighted buildings are more than just an eyesore for a community. They can be dangerous, lead to unsafe conditions, and they frequently bring down property values. Since taking office in 2008, Supervisor Principi has focused on the renovation or removal of vacant, blighted buildings along Route 1. The following 25 properties have been renovated or demolished since 2008:

As of August 2014, many more buildings are being vacated and boarded up as VDOT prepares to demolish the structures in the path of the new Route 1. Some of these include: used auto dealers on Easy St (near Potomac Plaza), storefronts at Station Plaza, former Joe’s Pizza, former BP gas station, and a strip mall on Easy St (near Mary’s Way). Since 2008, Supervisor Principi has added problematic, blight properties to a watch list called Principi’s Top Ten.

Featherstone Road Railroad Crossing:

At the request of the community, Prince William County worked with CSX and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to establish a 24 hour Quiet Zone to reduce excessive noise from train horns. The Quiet Zone is first of its kind in Prince William County and prohibits locomotive horns as the locomotive approaches the rail crossing. However, trains horns may be sounded in emergency situations or to comply with other FRA regulations. The establishment of the Quiet Zone is meant to reduce, but not eliminate, the disruptive train horns heard in this area.

Community Cleanups:

Every Spring, Supervisor Principi joins community groups for the Route 1 Litter pickup. Different groups take specific sections of the road and we pick up litter for the full length of Route 1. His office hosts the area of Route 1 in North Woodbridge near the VRE Kiss and Ride Lot. Various community groups sponsor cleanups in Woodbridge parks, streams, or residential neighborhoods throughout the year. To learn more about how to set up a cleanup in your neighborhood, please contact Keep Prince William Beautiful, PWC Neighborhood Services Division, or the Woodbridge Civic Association.