Salvage yard gets county's approval
By Matthew Whittle
Published in News on July 13, 2007 1:45 PM
For Ricky Young, owner of Young's Auto Salvage, it took nearly two years to get permission from the county to expand his operation on U.S. 117 South alternate in Dudley. On the other hand, it took only a few months for the members of American Legion Post 11 to be allowed to build a recreational vehicle campground on their U.S. 117 South property, also in Dudley.
Both requests were granted Tuesday morning by the Wayne County Board of Adjustment, which is comprised of the county's seven commissioners.
For Young it's the culmination of a battle that's taken him nearly two years as his neighbors Jeannette and Johnny Perry have fought his expansion every step of the way -- including Tuesday.
They have argued that not only does Young's Auto Salvage interfere with their home -- it borders them on multiple sides -- but that it also is unsafe, environmentally unsound and is not in compliance with county ordinances.
"We have been fighting this for too long," Mrs. Perry said. "You wouldn't want to do it to your family and you shouldn't do it to me."
One of their biggest concerns, they explained, is the need for screening around the salvage yard and their fear that Young wouldn't comply with the county's requirements.
Young, however, contends that he operates one of the cleanest salvage yards in the state. And, he added, because of the money involved in his operation, making sure he has the proper screening is in his best interest.
"If there's anything I need to be in compliance with, I'm more than willing to do it," he said.
So, with a positive recommendation from the county Planning Board, and County Attorney Borden Parker and Planning Director Connie Price not finding him out of compliance with anything, the board of adjustment granted Young his special use permit by a 6-1 vote.
The vote was pushed for by Jack Best.
"We've listened to this thing for the last year and a half. I'm tired of hearing about this Young thing. Either we let him do it, or we don't let him do it," he said.
Chairman John Bell was the only one to oppose the action after asking that the board delay making its decision.
"I think this could have been handled better," he said. "And I recommend that Mr. Price and anyone else with the planning board monitor this and make sure every i is dotted and every t is crossed."
Best also pushed for the vote on American Legion Post 11's request for a recreational vehicle campground.
That permit, though, was granted by an unanimous vote -- provided that only six sites be built, a buffer is maintained between the campground and the adjoining properties, vehicle registration and driver license information is required, only water and electric hook-ups are provided (no sewer) and the campground is inspected daily by post officers.
Most important, the board agreed to the request only after former commander Mike Burris said they would limit stays to one week at a time, with the exception of the county fair when two-week stints will be allowed.
The venture, he explained, will help the legion maintain its programs, as well as its student scholarships and emergency funds for local military families.
Also Tuesday, back in session as the county Board of Commissioners, two public hearings were held.
The first was on the N.C. Department of Transportation's proposed secondary road schedule for 2007-08.
Included in the $1.4 million program will be paving and repair work on a half-mile stretch of Newsome Road and a 1.7 mile stretch of Spencer Road. Also scheduled is the construction of turn lanes on John Street at Arrington Bridge Road, as well as routine maintenance. The intersection of John Street and Arrington Bridge Road will not have a traffic light, though that is something that DOT officials said could be considered for the future.
The second hearing was on the county's application for funding from NCDOT's proposed Rural Operating Assistance Program, which includes $226,500 for elderly and disabled transportation assistance, employment transportation assistance and rural general public transportation.
Additionally, a public hearing was scheduled for Aug. 7 on a rezoning request from Case Farms.
The request, which was forwarded to the commissioners from the county Planning Board with a positive recommendation, is asking that Case Farms' Pecan Road property be split between heavy industry and airport industry zones to accommodate both Seymour Johnson Air Force Base's accident potential zone and the company's need to expand its poultry processing plant operations.