GENERALLY

Richmond, Va., City Code ch. 19, art. VII, div. 1

in effect

Richmond, Va., City Code § 19-291 Inhaling drugs or other noxious chemical substances or causing others to do so.

Sec. 19-291. - Inhaling drugs or other noxious chemical substances or causing others to do so. (a) It shall be unlawful, except under the direction of a practitioner as defined in Code of Virginia, § 54.1-3401, for any person deliberately to smell or inhale any drugs or any other noxious chemical substances with the intent to become intoxicated, inebriated, excited, stupefied or to dull the brain or nervous system. Any person violating this subsection shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. (b) It shall be unlawful for any person, other than one duly licensed, deliberately to cause, invite or induce any person to smell or inhale any drugs or any other noxious chemical substances with the intent to intoxicate, inebriate, excite, stupefy or to dull the brain or nervous system of such person. Any person violating this subsection shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor. (c) (1) It is unlawful for any person to sell, distribute, or offer to sell or distribute a device that is designed or intended to deliver a gas containing nitrous oxide to any person under 18 years of age for any purpose. (2) This subsection shall not apply to a device, as described in Subsection (c)(1) of this section, for nitrous oxide that is denatured or otherwise rendered unfit for human consumption or any person or establishment that is solely engaged in the business of selling or distributing catering supplies, food processing equipment, or compressed gases for industrial or medical use or a health care provider as defined in Code of Virginia, § 32.1-127.1:03. (3) Any person who fails to make diligent inquiry as to whether the person trying to obtain a device as described in Subsection (c)(1) of this section is 18 years of age or older or violates the provisions of this subsection is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. (d) For the purposes of this section: Diligent inquiry means a good faith effort to determine the age of a person that includes an examination of any valid photo identification that establishes the identity and age of such person. Noxious chemical substances includes fingernail polish and model airplane glue and chemicals containing any ketones, aldehydes, organic acetates, ether, chlorinated hydrocarbons or vapors, fluorinated hydrocarbons or vapors, nitrous oxide, or hydrogenated fluorocarbons. (Code 1993, § 20-131; Code 2004, § 66-311; Code 2015, § 19-290; Code 2020, § 19-290)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 19-292 Discarding or abandonment of iceboxes, refrigerators or other airtight containers.

Sec. 19-292. - Discarding or abandonment of iceboxes, refrigerators or other airtight containers. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to discard, abandon, leave or allow to remain in any place any icebox, refrigerator or other container, device or equipment of any kind with an interior storage area of more than two cubic feet of clear space which is airtight, without first removing the door or hinges from such icebox, refrigerator, container, device or equipment. (b) This section shall not apply to any icebox, refrigerator, container, device or equipment which is: (1) Being used for the purpose for which it was originally designed; (2) Being used for display purposes by any retail or wholesale merchant; or (3) Crated, strapped or locked to such an extent that it is impossible for a child to obtain access to any airtight compartment thereof. (c) Any person violating this section shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor. (Code 1993, § 20-133; Code 2004, § 66-313; Code 2015, § 19-291; Code 2020, § 19-291)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 19-293 Skateboarding prohibited on certain premises.

Sec. 19-293. - Skateboarding prohibited on certain premises. No person shall use a skateboard on the premises of the main branch of the public library, City Hall, Canal Walk or Festival Park. (Code 1993, § 20-134.1; Code 2004, § 66-315; Code 2015, § 19-293; Code 2020, § 19-293)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 19-294 Abandoned or unclaimed tangible personal property.

Sec. 19-294. - Abandoned or unclaimed tangible personal property. (a) Disposition generally. The Chief of Police is authorized to provide for the removal of any tangible personal property abandoned on the streets or other public places of the City which constitutes or is liable to constitute a menace to the safety of vehicles or pedestrians using the City streets and to receive and hold any and all other unclaimed and unidentified property coming into the possession of the Department of Police. Unclaimed bicycles and mopeds may also be disposed of in accordance with Code of Virginia, § 15.2-1720 and Section 27-389. Unclaimed firearms may also be disposed of in accordance with Section 19-330. (b) Delegation of authority. The Chief of Police is hereby authorized to delegate to the Director of Procurement Services the authority to dispose of all abandoned tangible personal property received and held by the Department of Police and to perform other duties required in connection thereto. (c) Disposal of property of no value. All property removed and received by the Chief of Police pursuant to Subsection (a) of this section which, in the Chief's opinion, has no value shall be disposed of as any other waste products of similar kind are disposed of by the street cleaning forces of the City. (d) Disposal of property of value. Should the property be of value and the owner can be ascertained, it shall be turned over to such owner upon the payment of all costs incurred by the Chief of Police incident to the removal and preservation of such property. However, if the Chief is unable to ascertain the owner of such property or the owner's whereabouts within a period of 60 days and the property still remains unclaimed, the Chief may sell such property. The Chief shall cause to be published twice in a newspaper of general circulation in the city notice that there will be a public display and sale of unclaimed personal property. The first notice shall appear no more than 28 days before and the second notice shall appear no less than seven days before the public display and sale of the unclaimed personal property. Such property shall be described generally in the notice, together with the date, time and place of the sale and shall be made available for public viewing at the sale. Should no bid be received and the Chief be of the opinion that the property in question has practically no intrinsic value, the Chief shall be authorized to make such disposition of the property as deemed necessary. Any property or other thing of value removed from the streets or other public places of the City or received by the Chief which is of a perishable nature or in a usable condition may be utilized by any other agency of the City at the direction of the Chief of Police. The value of such property shall be determined by three buyers in the Department of Procurement Services if a claim is made at a later date. (e) Proceeds of sale. If no claim has been made by the owner for the property or proceeds of such sale within 60 days of the sale, the remaining funds shall be deposited in the general fund of the city and the retained property may be placed into use by the Police Department. If, within three years after the date of sale of any property, the ownership thereof is established to the satisfaction of the Chief Administrative Officer, the net proceeds of the sale shall be paid to the owner without interest or other charge. No claim shall be made nor any suit, action or proceeding instituted for the recovery of such proceeds after three years from the date of the sale. (f) Application of section. This section shall apply to any personal property belonging to another which has been acquired by a law enforcement officer, pursuant to official duties, which is not needed in any criminal prosecution, which has not been claimed by its rightful owner and which the State Treasurer has indicated will be declined if remitted under the Virginia Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act, Code of Virginia, § 55.1-2500 et seq. (Code 1993, § 20-135; Code 2004, § 66-316; Code 2015, § 19-294; Code 2020, § 19-294; Ord. No. 2004-360-330, § 1, 12-13-2004; Ord. No. 2010-21-67, § 2, 4-26-2010)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 19-295 Solicitation on center median.

Sec. 19-295. - Solicitation on center median. (a) Definitions. The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this section, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this subsection, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning: Center median means any area in the middle of any street or highway, designed to provide a barrier to keep traffic on one side of the street from going to the other side of the street. A center median may be a raised concrete strip or a grass strip. Selling, offering for sale, advertising, soliciting, distributing and distribute mean any such activity which involves the delivery of any document, publication or other item or the intent to deliver any document, publication or other item to any occupant of a motor vehicle located on a City street or any such activity which involves the receipt of any money or any item or the intent to receive any money or any item from the occupant of an automobile located on a City street, other than a motor vehicle parked in a designated parking space. (b) Purpose. Intersections that have center medians often are designed to deal with specific traffic flow problems. Any delay or distraction may interfere with traffic planning. Frequently, persons stand near intersections and near traffic lights to contact drivers or passengers in cars that are passing or that are stopped temporarily due to traffic lights. The purpose of this section is to prevent dangers to persons and property, to prevent delays in vehicular and pedestrian traffic and to avoid interference with such traffic flow. (c) Prohibited use of center median strip. It shall be unlawful for any person to stand or stay on any center median for the purpose of soliciting contributions of any kind. It shall also be unlawful for any person to stand or stay on any center median for the purpose of selling, offering for sale or advertising any product, property or service or for the purpose of distributing any document, product, or other item. (d) Permitted use of center median. In addition to other pedestrian purposes, center medians may also be used under the following circumstances: (1) A person may be on the center median temporarily to deal with an emergency. (2) A pedestrian crossing a street or highway may remain on a center median until it is safe to proceed. (3) A person may be on that portion of a center median in a street that has been temporarily closed by a permit issued pursuant to Section 24-336. (e) Penalty. Any person violating this section shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor. A separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues. (Code 1993, § 20-136; Code 2004, § 66-317; Code 2015, § 19-295; Code 2020, § 19-295)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 19-296 Unlawful entry onto streets.

Sec. 19-296. - Unlawful entry onto streets. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to enter a street and approach a motor vehicle to: (1) Distribute handbills, merchandise, leaflets, bulletins, literature, advertisements, or similar material to the drivers of motor vehicles or passengers therein; (2) Solicit contributions of any nature from the drivers of motor vehicles or passengers therein; or (3) Sell any merchandise or attempt to sell merchandise to the drivers of motor vehicles or passengers therein. (b) Any person violating this section shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor. A separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues. (Code 1993, § 20-137; Code 2004, § 66-318; Code 2015, § 19-296; Code 2020, § 19-296)

Source: City of Richmond, Virginia, Code (2026 recodification) and Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/va/richmond/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICICO_CH19OFMIPR_ARTVIIOFAGPUHESA_DIV1GEFetched: 11/8/2026