Salvage yard gets permit to expand
By Steve Herring
Published in News on July 7, 2010 1:46 PM
Sitting as the Board of Adjustment, Wayne County commissioners Tuesday morning voted 6-1 to grant a special use permit to allow an expansion project at Young's Auto Salvage.
And just as they have done since the process started last fall, John and Jeanette Perry, whose property is surrounded by the salvage yard, sought to convince commissioners the business should be brought into compliance with county ordinances before being allowed to grow.
Two public hearings have been held on the project since last fall when owner Ricky Young petitioned the county to rezone 11.98 acres on U.S. 117 Alt. South at Dudley from Residential-Agriculture 20 to Heavy Industry.
The first hearing was held in September. A second one was held in May because of the amount of time that had lapsed since the first hearing with no action by commissioners.
The rezoning was approved in June. However, the expansion still required a special use permit.
Perry said he opposed the expansion for three reasons: It is within a "critical" water zone; there are at least 25 houses nearby; and Young has failed to comply with necessary permitting.
"A lot of things this guy is getting away with," Perry said. "I see the heavy trucks and equipment already in place, so I know what the outcome (of the vote) is."
Mrs. Perry said when she walks to the front of her house and looks out all she sees is junk. She said she sees the same thing when she looks out of the back of her house.
Mrs. Perry said she and her husband are not against the expansion. She said they just ask that the junkyard first be brought into compliance with all ordinances.
Steve Wiggins, who manages the site, said he did not know what permits the Perrys were talking about.
"All of our permits are current," he said.
As for the equipment Perry mentioned, it was used for some work on the site that already is part of the operation, Wiggins said.
Young said he prided himself on complying with rules, even those that he isn't required to because of "grandfather" clauses.
"It is in my best interest to be in compliance," he said.
That is particularly true should he ever decide to sell the business, he said.
County Planner Connie Price told commissioners that as far as he knows the company is in compliance with all ordinances.
Mrs. Perry asked whom she should contact if she saw something the business was not complying with. Commis-sioners did not respond to any comments or questions while sitting as the Board of Adjustment. However, afterward, they agreed to inform Mrs. Perry she should contact the Planning Board about those concerns.
Commissioner Steve Keen made the motion to approve the permit. Commissioner John Bell voted against approval.
In other business Tuesday, commissioners approved two rezoning requests following public hearings during which no one spoke.
B&D Management had sought rezoning for 12.3 acres on the north side of Potts Road from Residential-Agriculture 20 to Residential 10 for the addition of four lots to an existing mobile home park.
Commissioner Andy Anderson voted "No."
Tri-County Electric Membership Corp. petitioned to rezone 7.56 acres off U.S. 117 Alt. South from Residential-Agriculture 20 to Community Shopping. The property will be used for the addition of an equipment storage area near the existing Tri-County operation.
The board also approved the final plat for a two-lot subdivision for owner/developer Harvey L. Jordan II. The property is located on the north side of Community Drive west of N.C. 581 South at Rosewood.
Daryll Overton of U.S. 13 South was appointed to the Southwestern Wayne Sanitary District board to complete the term of Jean Hood who recently stepped down.
Items approved on the board's consent agenda included:
* Declaring as surplus property at 804. E. Elm St. in Goldsboro and 300 E. Pollock St. in Mount Olive. The properties are jointly owned by the county and the respective municipalities. The lots will be offered for sale.
* Granting permission for the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corp. to use the courthouse grounds for its annual banquet Sept. 24.
* Scheduling July 23 at 9 a.m. for a special board meeting to consider naming a replacement for District 2 school board member Shirley Sims who stepped down from office effective June 30. The meeting will be held in the commissioners' meeting room on the fourth floor of the county courthouse annex.
* Amending the septic permit fee schedule for the county budget from $200 to $250. The increase is to help cover costs because of a decrease in the number of inspections being done, county officials said.
The board met in closed session for about 35 minutes with Mike Haney of the Wayne County Development Alliance. The meeting was closed to discuss expansion of a business/industry and for attorney-client privilege.
No action was taken after the board returned to open session.