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Residents: Stay out of junkyards
Debate heats up as county discusses ordinance
Published Friday, July 11, 2008
Mike Hanan
David Loeks says government should stay out of the junk car business.
Language in Otter Tail County’s proposed junkyard ordinance concerns him and believes junk car owners should help each other police problems that junk cars may cause within the county.
Loeks was among the dozens of people who turned out Friday for the last of four public hearings that Otter Tail County held on its proposed junkyard ordinance.
“It’s the language in the proposed ordinance that concerns many of us,” Loeks said. “Those concerned with junk cars should offer to help junk car owners with this issue. Keep the government out of it.”
The county’s goal is to work with residents and junk car owners to craft an ordinance that all can live with, said County Solid Waste Director Mike Hanan. The county board does not want an ordinance that will drive people out of business, he said.
“Our goal is to address together this issue that was first raised by many concerned residents from across the county,” Hanan said.
But many attending the meeting at the County Government Services Building in Fergus Falls appeared skeptical that a comprise ordinance could be worked out. Many questioned whether an ordinance was even needed.
Conley Nygaard, a member of the Fergus Falls Classic Car Club said many classic car owners rely on salvage yards to get the parts they need for their vehicles. If some salvage areas go by the wayside, Nygaard said he and others no longer will be able to get those parts.
“There’s a big distinction between junk and salvage,” Nygaard said.
Tom Harrington, who operates a small construction business, urged the county commissioners to have the people of the county vote on the issue this coming November.
“Let the people have a voice in this matter,” Harrington said. “I also agree that the county board needs to retake a look at the language in the proposed ordinance.”
The definition of a junkyard, as written in the proposed ordinance, refers to “an establishment, place of business or place of storage or deposit, which is maintained, operated or used for storage, keeping, buying or selling junk, or for the maintenance or operation of an automobile salvage yard or graveyard, where the materials, or discarded materials stored are equal in volume to five or more motor vehicle units and which may be bought, sold, stored or exchanged or used for parts.”
Junkyards in operation on the date of enactment of the ordinance would be required to obtain an initial license no later than 12 months after enactment of the ordinance.
All large junkyards would need to be screened on all sides from public view by a solid fence or dense plantings of not less than eight feet in height. In meeting this requirement, the junkyard would need to either be solidly fenced or have appropriate plantings within one calendar year from the date of the initial junkyard operating license.
The entire proposed junk yard ordinance is on the Otter Tail County Web site. Click on departments, then solid waste and access “Junkyard Ordinance (draft)”.
Comments
The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Witty is great. Abusive is not. If you think a post violates these standards, don't escalate the situation. Instead, flag the comment to alert us. We'll take action if necessary. It's not hard. This should be a place where people want to read and contribute -- a place for spirited exchanges of opinion. So those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post at all.Posted by goingfishing (anonymous) on July 11, 2008 at 1:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
And with that "screened from public view" portion, I'd like to know how vegitation can be obtained in one year that is solid and 8 feet high. This is just another case in point that our elected officials are totally out of touch with reality and have lost all common sense.
Reality is that we need a total change in county staff from coordinators to elected commissioners.
Posted by PD (anonymous) on July 11, 2008 at 2:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
WHY MUST WE HAVE COUNTY INVOLVEMENT AT ALL IN THIS ISSUE? OUR LOCAL TOWNSHIP OFFICERS ARE MUCH MORE ABLE TO RESOLVE AN AMICABLE SOLUTION WHEN A PROBLEM EXISTS. WE DON'T NEED THE "BIG GUN" OF COUNTY GOVT. ENFORCEMENT, OR TO BE CHARGED ANOTHER "TAX" ON THE PROPERTY WE OWN. THE ENFORCEMENT OF THIS NEW LAW WILL COST ALL TAXPAYERS ADDITIONAL $ IN "STAFF, TRAVEL EXPENSES, LEGAL COSTS ETC."
Posted by werty (anonymous) on July 11, 2008 at 2:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What a waste of taxpayer money! Let's use it for real issues like fighting the meth problem in Otter Tail county. This is a low priority issue period.
Posted by prowler (anonymous) on July 11, 2008 at 2:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
At least we wouldn't have to look at that eyesore on 210 anymore if it was "screened from public view". Doesn't look like township officers are able to do much about that, or any other junk/scrap pile, without some type of legal grounds to force compliance. The owners will not do it on their own!
Posted by goingfishing (anonymous) on July 11, 2008 at 3:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Bring it to a vote of the people. This is a matter of too much to consider for just the commissioners to decide.
Posted by Mel (anonymous) on July 11, 2008 at 3:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What junk yard on 210? Forced compliance to what law?
Not even a small part of this should be law. Don't let them get the so called foot in the door.
"It's no skin off my nose"
Posted by PD (anonymous) on July 11, 2008 at 3:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The salvage business on 210 is within the city of Fergus Falls I believe. Have there been complaints about it being an eye sore? Perhaps the city would buy it and move the owner out of the city like was done with the other salvage yard on County Hwy 111.
Posted by ffrogg (anonymous) on July 11, 2008 at 6:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
the old flower mill is an eyesore! the wrecking yards on east 210 are a necessary function in eliminating the very junk that has and will continue to accumulate.
Posted by JUNKGUY (anonymous) on July 11, 2008 at 6:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The salvage business on 210 is located on a MN trunk highway. The state requires junkyards on a trunk highway to be fenced. Since it is not fenced, it leads me to believe that the city must have an ordinance that covers that yard. Therefore, the county ordinance probably wouldn't apply to them either. We need to consider ourselves lucky that those businesses and others like it in the county exist to take the "junk" that people want to clean up. They all are simply trying to make a living for their families and their employees families. I believe if this ordinance doesn't get dropped by the county it will put many of the small businesses out of business (regardless of what officials keep saying, the cost of building fences will be too high), then how will all of the private property owners get rid of what they want to clean up and how will farmers, collectors and repair shops find used parts to make needed repairs at a reasonable cost? Please phone your commissioner and let them know that this ordinance discussion needs to end before it goes to committee and is drawn out over many more months and countless meetings and discussions.
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