[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Southold 8-10-1965.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
By the adoption of this chapter the Town Board of the Town of Southold
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. 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;
the engines and other parts of such autos are frequently covered with grease
and oil, which are 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 unless such
areas are properly maintained and operated.
As used in this chapter, the terms used herein are defined as follows:
Passenger auto, truck, tractor-truck, trailer, bus, motorcycle or
other vehicle, however propelled, as well as tractors, bulldozers, machinery
and equipment.
An individual, an association, a partnership or corporation.
No person shall engage in or conduct on real property within the Town
of Southold, 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, without first obtaining
a license therefor as hereinafter provided.
A.
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 intends
to conduct.
(6)
The nature of the materials he intends to handle.
(7)
The number of employees he intends to engage.
(8)
The name and address of the owner or owners of the land.
(9)
The nature of the right of occupancy of the applicant
to the use of such land.
B.
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 intends to conduct the activity or business for which he is
making application for a license hereunder, with the following clearly indicated:
(1)
The area of such real property which it is proposed to
use for such purpose.
(2)
The location of the fence required hereunder indicated
thereon.
(3)
The location of any buildings on such land.
(4)
The location of any streets or highways abutting or passing
through such land.
(5)
The location of any water, sewer or gas mains or laterals
available thereto.
(6)
The general drainage pattern of such land.
C.
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, such license may be revoked forthwith.
A.
A person presently engaged in or conducting an activity
or business such as described herein on real property within the Town of Southold
must apply for a license therefor within 30 days of the adoption of this chapter.
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 he shall 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.
B.
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.
A.
The fee for the license is hereby fixed in the sum of
$100, 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 herein prescribed.
[Amended 4-9-1985 by L.L. No. 8-1985]
B.
Such license shall be placed and at all times displayed
in a conspicuous place to the licensee's place of activity or business for
which it is issued.
C.
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.
D.
Such license is personal with the licensee. It does not
go with the title to the land, nor may it be sold, assigned, transferred or
disposed of.
E.
Such license may be revoked by the Town Board after a
public hearing thereon, at which the licensee shall have an opportunity to
be heard. Upon revocation of a license the Town Board may require the removal
of autos, parts and materials left, as above provided in the case of an applicant
for a temporary license who fails to qualify for a license.
F.
In the event that an applicant for a license as provided
herein shall have previously been duly issued a valid and effective junk dealer's
license by the Supervisor of this Town, pursuant to the provisions of Article
6 of the New York State General Business Law, then such applicant shall be
entitled to and allowed a credit against the above provided license fee in
the amount of $5, such junk dealer's license fee actually paid by such applicant;
otherwise, this chapter shall be fully binding upon and applicable to the
holder of any such junk dealer's license.
A.
The licensee must personally manage or be responsible
for the management of the activity or business for which the license is granted.
B.
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.
C.
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 the materials
dealt in by the licensee shall be kept within such fence at all times.
D.
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 entire area where the activity or business of the licensee
is being conducted.
E.
The autos, parts and materials dealt in by the licensee
shall be piled or arranged in neat rows so as to permit easy, clear passage
through the area.
F.
There shall be maintained at each such place of activity
or business for which a license is issued at least one fire extinguisher or
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.
G.
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.
H.
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 of the general public visiting the
area.
J.
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.
[Amended 7-31-1973 by L.L. No. 1-1973; 1-16-2007
by L.L. No. 3-2007]
A.
The owner or licensee of any such place of business who commits
or permits the commission of any offense against any of the provisions of
this chapter shall be deemed to have committed a violation and shall be liable
for any such offense or the penalty therefor. Each day such offense shall
continue or be permitted to exist shall constitute a separate offense.
B.
For every offense against any provision of this chapter, the
person committing the same shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to a
fine not to exceed $2,500 or imprisonment not exceeding 15 days, or both such
fine and imprisonment.
C.
Conviction for any above-mentioned offense shall constitute and
effect an immediate forfeiture of the license.
D.
Any person committing an offense against this chapter shall,
upon conviction thereof, be subject to a civil penalty enforceable and collectible
by the Town in the amount of $100 for each such offense. Such penalty shall
be collectible by and in the name of the Town for each day that such offense
shall continue.
E.
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 offense against such chapter.