Legal Services

	"There's what appears to be some abandoned property right at the edge of town. I think the ownsers moved away a long time ago. It's become a popular spot for all kinds of graffiti markings. It's an eye sore! What can the county do about it?"

May a county order private landowners to remove graffiti from their property?

Yes. Under Local Government Code §250.006, a county by order or ordinance may require property owners within the county's jurisdiction to remove graffiti from the owner's property on receipt of a notice from the county. Prior to sending the graffiti removal notice, the county must first offer to remove the graffiti free of charge and the owner must have refused the offer. For more information, see our updated publication Keeping the County Scenic: Junkyards, Visual Aesthetic Standards, Public Nuisance, Graffiti, Litter, Amateur Radio Antenna, and Campaign Signs.