Town of North Collins, NY Junkyards

By the adoption of this chapter, the Town Board of the Town of North Collins declares its intent in so doing to be to regulate, control and license the activities or businesses known as "auto graveyards," "junkyards" and "secondhand parts collection areas," the processing of used metals for resale and the dumping, storage and disposal of waste now operating within the limits of the Town of North Collins and to prohibit the operation or maintenance of any such yard on any parcel of land within the limits of the Town of North Collins which was not used for such purpose on January 1, 1964, and has not been continuously so used since January 1, 1964. Said Town Board hereby declares that such activities or businesses can constitute a hazard to property and persons and a public nuisance. Such materials may be highly flammable and sometimes explosive. Gasoline tanks on old autos often contain, in some quantity, combustible gasoline, and the engine and other parts of such autos are frequently covered with grease and oil which is also flammable. The tires, plastic seats, tops and other elements of such autos are also flammable. Batteries and other elements of such autos can contain acids and other matter potentially harmful to humans. These autos frequently contain sharp metal or glass edges or points upon which a human could receive serious cuts and abrasions. These autos can constitute attractive nuisances to children and certain adults. The presence of such junkyards, even in areas zoned for business or industry, is unsightly and tends to detract from the value of surrounding land and property and constitutes a fire hazard, a threat to the health and safety of the Town of North Collins and a possible cause of a disaster within the Town of North Collins.

§ 144-2 Definitions.

As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

AUTO

A passenger auto, truck, tractor-truck, trailer, bus, motorcycle or other vehicle, however propelled, as well as tractors, bulldozers, machinery and equipment.

PERSON

An individual, an association, a partnership or a corporation.

§ 144-3 License required.

No person shall engage in or conduct on real property within the Town of North Collins, either for himself or for and on behalf of any other person, directly or indirectly, as agent, employee or otherwise, any activity or business, either for profit or otherwise, at wholesale or retail, which involves the collection, storage, burning, dumping, disassembling, dismantling, salvaging, sorting or otherwise handling or arranging for sale, resale, storage or disposal or otherwise of bodies, engines or parts of autos or of any other secondhand or used property of whatever material it is composed or any waste material, whether composed of wood, paper, cloth, cardboard, plastics metals, stone, cement or otherwise, without first obtaining a license therefor as hereinafter provided.

§ 144-4 Application for license.

Each applicant for a license hereunder shall execute under oath an application therefor, to be supplied to him by the Town Clerk, which shall contain the following information:

(1)

That the applicant is over 21 years of age.

(2)

That he is a citizen of the United States.

(3)

Whether he has ever been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor.

(4)

Such other facts or evidence as is deemed necessary to establish that he is a person fit and capable of properly conducting the activity or business for which the license is sought.

(5)

A description of the exact type of business he conducts and the nature of the materials he handles.

(6)

The number of employees he engages.

(7)

The name and address of the owner or owners of the land and the nature of the right of occupancy of the applicant to the use of such land.

At the time of making the application, the applicant shall submit to and file with the Town Clerk a map or plan of the real property upon which he conducts the activity or business for which he is making application for a license hereunder, with the area of such real property which is used for such purpose and the location of the fence required hereunder indicated thereon as well as the location of any buildings on such land and the location of any streets or highways abutting or passing through such land and the location of any water, sewer or gas mains or laterals available thereto as well as the general drainage pattern of such land.

In the application, the applicant shall agree that, if granted the license applied for, he will conduct the activity or business pursuant to the regulations hereinafter set forth and that, upon his failure to do so, the license may be revoked forthwith.

A person presently engaged in or conducting an activity or business such as described herein on real property within the Town of North Collins must apply for a license therefor within 30 days of the adoption of this chapter, and no person other than a person who on January 1, 1964, and continuously since that date has operated such a yard within the limits of the Town of North Collins shall be issued a license to operate such a yard. If the place where he conducts such activity or business presently complies with the requirements a person must meet to secure a license in the first instance, he shall be issued a license therefor if he meets the other requirements contained herein. If the place where he conducts such activity or business does not presently comply with the requirements a person must meet to secure a license in the first instance, he may be granted a temporary license for one year, during which year he must arrange the place where he conducts such activity or business so that it does then comply with the requirements a person must meet to secure a license in the first instance. If, at the end of such year, such person has not so arranged his place of such activity or business, he shall forthwith cease and desist engaging in or conducting the same and shall remove from such place any autos, parts or other materials of the nature described herein.

[Amended 6-3-1964]

If the person conducting such activity or business is not the sole owner thereof, he shall state such fact at the time he applies for his temporary license, and the Town Clerk, at the time of issuing such temporary license, shall send the owners, or each of them, a notice of the issuance of such temporary license to such person, together with a copy of this chapter.

§ 144-5 License fee; display; effectiveness; nontransferability.

The fee for the license shall be as set forth from time to time by resolution of the Town Board, which sum covers not only the cost of issuing the license itself but also the cost of making the necessary inspections of the premises to ascertain compliance with the regulations hereinafter prescribed.

[Amended 6-3-1964; 12-4-1991 by L.L. No. 2-1991]

Such license shall be placed and at all times displayed in a conspicuous place at the licensee's place of activity or business for which it is issued.

Such license shall be effective from the date of its issuance until the 31st day of December of the year of such issuance, after which a new application for a license must be made yearly if the licensee desires to continue such activity or business.

Such license is personal with the licensee. It does not go with the title of the land, nor may it be sold, assigned or transferred.

§ 144-6 General provisions.

The licensee must personally manage or be responsible for the management of the activity or business for which the license is granted.

The licensee must maintain an office and a sufficient number of employees on the premises to assure the proper and safe conduct of such activity or business, to minimize the fire hazard therefrom and to prevent improper trespass thereon by children and others.

The licensee must erect and maintain a six-foot wire fence of close mesh or one made of wood or of other material adequate to prohibit the entrance of children and others into the area of the activity or business and to contain within such fence the materials dealt in by the licensee; and if such area abuts a residential area or public street or highway, such fence shall be 25 feet from the boundary line thereof. All of the materials dealt in by the licensee shall be kept within such fence at all times.

Inside and adjacent to and contiguous with such fence, a strip of land at least 10 feet in width shall be kept free of all dry grass or other growth or other combustible material so as to provide a fire lane or line around the whole area where the activity or business of the licensee is being conducted.

The autos, parts and materials dealt in by the licensee shall be disassembled or dismantled by means other than by burning. They shall be piled or arranged in neat rows so as to permit easy, clear passage through the area.

There shall be maintained at each such place of activity or business, for which a license is issued at least one fire extinguisher of approved design and capacity for each 40,000 square feet of area. Each such fire extinguisher shall be hung or mounted in a conspicuous place, clearly marked and available.

When the area is not supervised by the licensee or his employees, the fence shall be locked at a secure gate in a secure manner.

Suitable sanitary facilities shall be available, connected to approved public sewers or septic tanks, for the use and convenience of the employees of the licensee as well as the general public visiting the area.

The area of the licensee's activity or business shall not be used as a dump area nor as a place for the burning and disposal of junk or trash.

The Town Police, the Town Clerk or the Town Board or any of its representatives shall be granted access to the area of the activity or business of the licensee at all reasonable hours to inspect the same for compliance herewith.

No license hereunder shall be issued to cover any premises which was not used for the purposes described in § 144-1, 144-2 or 144-3 on January 1, 1964, and continuously since that date.

[Amended 6-3-1964]

§ 144-7 Penalties for offenses.

The owner or licensee of any such place of business who commits or permits any acts in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed to have committed an offense against such chapter and also shall be liable for any such violation or the penalty therefor. Each day such violation shall continue or be permitted to exist shall constitute a separate violation.

For every violation of any provision of this chapter, the person violating the same shall be subject to a fine of not more than $250 or to imprisonment for not exceeding 15 days, or to both such fine and imprisonment.

[Amended 12-4-1991 by L.L. No. 2-1991]

Conviction for any above-mentioned violation shall constitute and effect an immediate forfeiture of the license.

Any person violating this chapter shall be subject to a civil penalty, enforceable and collectable by and in the name of the Town, for each day that such violation shall continue.

In addition to the above-provided penalties and punishment, the Town Board may also maintain an action or proceeding in the name of the Town, in a court of competent jurisdiction, to compel compliance with or to restrain by injunction the violation of such chapter.