March 6, 2015
C’ville Town Board reviews proposal for junkyard law
CORTLANDVILLE — The Town Board got its first look at draft legislation aimed at regulating junk yards in the town during its regular meeting Wednesday.
Last month, Town Attorney John Folmer said he and Code Officer Tom Williams were nearly finished drafting the legislation aimed at reining in the outside storage of junk on properties in the town.
The draft legislation defines junk as the outdoor storage of equipment, appliances, vehicles and mobile homes and trailers left on property for more than60 days. These items must also not be used for their intended purpose on a regular basis.
The law would also define a junkyard as the outdoor storage of two or more junk vehicles, one or more manufactured homes, two or more appliances and two or more pieces of equipment.
The storage of material adding up to 500 cubic feet or more will also be considered a junkyard.
If passed, the law would not affect farmers, loggers or commercial business owners but would require other landowners to obtain a junkyard permit from the town, which must be renewed annually.
The town would also hold a public hearing for junkyard permit applications. If a permit is not renewed or denied for any reason, the landowner would have 60 days to “cease and desist,” or remove the junk from their property.
“The town reserves the right to have junk removed,” the law reads, “and all costs of such removal and disposal shall be, if not paid within 30 days, added to tax warrant unless paid by (the) landowner.”
The draft legislation also includes provisions referencing the allowable distances between junkyards and certain property lines and natural resources. These distances and the fees for violating them have not yet been set and Folmer explained during the meeting board members will review the proposed legislation and decide what they think is fair.
Town Supervisor Dick Tupper said Friday he thought the proposed legislation was “comprehensive” and the board is likely to schedule a public hearing at its next meeting.
“I think at the next meeting we’ll take a look at it,” he said. “See if anyone wants to make changes and then we’ll schedule a public hearing.”
Tupper added the town is likely to use similar legislation passed in other municipalities to set fees and penalties and those parts of the law will be addressed once research is completed.
In other business, the town voted to schedule a public hearing during its next meeting to discuss granting an aquifer protection permit to HBDR, LLC, a subsidiary of World Fuel Services, which wants to build a propane distribution facility along Route 11 in Polkville.
Another public hearing on the proposed zoning change of 75 acres along Route 13 in South Cortland will also be held at that time.
Both public hearings will be held during the next regular meeting of the town board scheduled for March 18.
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