FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 7, 2015

Automobile Graveyard and Junkyard Ordinance Updated

CONTACT: Mike Ciriello, 336.597.1750, mciriello@personcounty.net

Roxboro, NC — Person County has updated and clarified its automobile graveyard and junkyard ordinance. In addition to clarifying the application of the Ordinance to commercial establishments, the Ordinance has been expanded to cover residential properties, if conditions meet a specific threshold for the amount of junk and inoperable vehicles that are visible from a public road, park, school, or a home on an adjacent lot.

In the past, County staff and County Commissioners have received complaints from residents about the condition of properties adjacent to or near their homes. Concerns have also been raised by real estate agents who note the appearance and condition of properties in an area can have a negative impact on property values and may drive away people who might invest in the County. In response to the complaints from citizens, the Person County Board of Commissioners asked the Planning Department to propose a way to address these issues in a timely and effective manner.

“This change represents one of the difficult changes that we’ve made to an Ordinance. No one likes having the government involved in what they can and cannot do on their property and the question of ‘what is junk’ figures prominently in these cases. However, when what we do on our own land has a quantifiable impact on another person’s land or on the community, then the justification for action is easier to digest,” said Michael Ciriello, Director of the Person County Planning Department.

The Ordinance is not applicable to “bona fide” farms (farms that the State of North Carolina recognizes), service stations where vehicles are being repaired, and construction sites. Only “junk” or inoperable vehicles that are visible from a public road, park, school, or a home on an adjacent lot are subject to the ordinance. The Ordinance is complaint driven and the Board of County Commissioners will review any appeals.

The Person County Planning Department is one of Person County Government’s 26 departments and is funded by tax payer dollars. The Person County Planning Department is responsible for the land development standards adopted by the Board of County Commissioners as these impact the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Person County.

For additional information visit www.personcounty.net/planning


# # #