[Ord. 2016-1, 1/4/2016]
This Part shall be known as the "Hopewell Township Junk Dealer and Junkyard Ordinance."
[Ord. 2016-1, 1/4/2016]
1. JUNK JUNK DEALER JUNKYARD PERSON
As used in this Part, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
Discarded materials, articles or things possessing value in part, gross or aggregate, and including, but not limited to, scrapped motor vehicles and parts thereof, including motors, bodies of motor vehicles and vehicles which are inoperable and do not have a current and valid inspection sticker as required by the Motor Vehicle Code of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 101 et seq., but not including garbage or other organic waste or farm machinery, whether operational or otherwise, provided said farm machinery is used in connection with a bona fide farming operation.
Any person, partnership, association or corporation engaged in the business of selling, buying or dealing in junk, including, but not limited to, buying, selling and dealing in junked or scrapped motor vehicles or parts removed from scrapped motor vehicles or otherwise engaged in the operation of an automobile graveyard as provided by the laws of Pennsylvania.
Any place or establishment where junk is stored or accumulated on the outside of any enclosed building, edifice or structure or where the business of selling, buying or dealing in junk is carried on or where two or more motor vehicles are stored which are unlicensed, in operable and do not have a current and valid inspection sticker as required by the Motor Vehicle Code of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 101 et seq.
Any natural person, association, partnership, firm or corporation.
2.
In this Part, the singular shall include the plural, and the masculine shall include the feminine and the neuter.
[Ord. 2016-1, 1/4/2016]
On and after the effective date of this Part, no person shall engage or continue to engage in business as a junk dealer, or establish or operate a junkyard in the Township except as authorized by this Part and without first having obtained a license therefore from the Board of Supervisors of the Township.
[Ord. 2016-1, 1/4/2016]
1.
Application for such license shall be made, in writing, under oath and in the form prescribed by the Board of Supervisors of the Township and shall contain the name of the applicant, his address, his length of residence at such address, any record of previous convictions involving the illegal or improper operation of junkyards or maintenance of junk, if any, the address of the premises upon which such business is to be conducted or upon which such junkyard is to be established or operated, the name of the owner or owners of said property if other than the applicant and upon subsequent applications a statement that the applicant during the preceding term of his license complied with and maintained his premises in full compliance with the provisions of this Part. Each initial application shall describe the premises upon which the junkyard is to be operated by supplying an accurate drawing specifying the following information:
A.
Total acreage of lot and lot dimension.
C.
Distance between rows of cars and dimensions of said rows.
D.
All existing buildings, their dimensions and setbacks on the lot.
E.
Buildings and the use on adjacent lots and distance from these buildings to the areas devoted to the storage of junk.
F.
The book and page in which the deed for the property is filed.
2.
If the applicant is a partnership or association, the application shall furnish the above information for every member thereof. If the applicant is a business corporation, the application shall furnish the above information for each officer and director thereof. The application shall be signed by the applicant, if an individual, by all members if the applicant is a partnership or association or by the President and Secretary if the applicant is a business corporation. A separate application shall be required for each junkyard operated by a junk dealer. Any time there is a change in any of the information required in this section, then the applicant shall be required, within 30 days of such change, to provide all of the relevant information set forth in this section as it relates to any such change.
[Ord. 2016-1, 1/4/2016]
Each applicant shall pay an annual license fee in such amount as shall be set from time to time by resolution of the Board of Supervisors of the Township, payable at the time of application. In the event that the license submitted is denied, the fee shall be refunded. All licenses shall be issued for a term of one year, beginning January 1 and ending December 31 of each year. No abatement of the annual license fee shall be made for any cause whatsoever. For all junkyards in operation on January 1 of each year, said license shall be obtained prior to January 1. For any junkyard which begins operation after January 1, then application as require in § 13-204 of this Part shall be made within 15 days of beginning operation of said junkyard. Such license shall be issued upon the condition that the same may be summarily revoked in the event the licensee is found to have given any false information or has in any way misrepresented any material fact upon which the issuing authority has relied in granting such license. In the event of revocation of a license, the licensee shall not be entitled to a refund of any portion of the license fee.
[Ord. 2016-1, 1/4/2016]
Upon receipt of an application for license under this Part, the Township shall determine whether or not a license shall be issued or a renewal thereof shall be granted after an examination of the application and upon the fullest consideration of the suitability of the premises proposed to be used for the purposes of the license, the character of the property adjacent thereto and the effect of the proposed use, taking into consideration the health, welfare and safety of the residents of the Township, any potential hazard which may result to adjacent properties and structures thereon or to the citizens of the Township and the application of Chapter 27, "Zoning," of the Code of the Township. Upon approval of the application for license, the Township shall issue to the applicant a license, upon which shall be designated the name of the licensee and the address of the premises approved for use as a junkyard. Such license shall at all times be conspicuously posted upon the licensed premises. No such license issued by the Township shall be transferable or assignable by agreement, will, intestacy or otherwise.
[Ord. 2016-1, 1/4/2016]
The Board of Supervisors of the Township hereby designate the Codes Enforcement Officer, Zoning Officer, or any other officer of the Township, each of whom shall be the issuing agents for licenses as the Enforcement Officers for violations of this Part. In the event that an applicant disagrees with or disputes a determination of the designated Enforcement Officer, then the applicant shall have the right to have the application reviewed by the Board of Supervisors of the Township. Such request must be made, in writing, by the applicant within 30 days of the objectionable action of the Enforcement Officer, and the Board of Supervisors shall hear the appeal and decide the matter within 45 days of the applicant's appeal. In the case of an initial application, the applicant shall not be permitted to begin operation pending said appeal. In the case of a license renewal application, the appeal by the applicant shall stay enforcement proceedings until such time as the Board of Supervisors has rendered its decision on the appeal as provided in this section.
[Ord. 2016-1, 1/4/2016]
No license or renewal of license shall be issued to any person who, within one year immediately preceding the date of his application shall have been convicted for any felony or any misdemeanor involving crimen falsi.
[Ord. 2016-1, 1/4/2016]
Every licensee shall keep and maintain and, at the request of the Codes Enforcement Officer, Zoning Officer, or any other officer of the Township, provide to the Township records, in the English language, including the date of purchase, acquisition or receipt of junk, a full and complete description, including trade names, serial or manufacturer's numbers, if any, of every article or item of junk purchased, acquired or received by him/her and the name and address of the person from whom such article or item of junk was purchased, acquired or received. In addition to making said records available to the Township Enforcement Officer upon request, such records shall at all times be subject to inspection by the Police Department having jurisdiction within the Township, for just cause. Such records shall be retained for a period of five years.
[Ord. 2016-1, 1/4/2016]
1.
Every licensee shall constantly and continually maintain the licensed premises as follows:
A.
Such premises shall at all times be maintained so as not to constitute a nuisance or a menace to the health, safety and welfare of the community or to residents nearby or a place for the breeding of rodents and vermin.
B.
No garbage or other organic waste shall be stored or disposed of on the premises.
C.
The manner of storage and arrangement of junk and the drainage facilities of the premises shall be such as to prevent the accumulation of stagnant water upon the licensed property and to facilitate access for inspection purposes and fire fighting.
D.
No junk shall be stored, arranged or accumulated in piles which exceed six feet in height as measured from the ground to the top of such piled junk.
E.
No junk shall be stored or accumulated nor shall any structure be erected within 25 feet of the side and rear lines of the licensed premises, nor within 75 feet of any existing dwelling house erected upon premises adjacent to the licensed premises. No junk shall be stored or accumulated or any structure erected that is used in connection with said junkyard within 40 feet of the property line abutting a public street or highway within the Township. In the case of a property which abuts a public street or highway on two sides of the property, the above forty-foot setback shall apply to one street only. The remaining setbacks shall apply otherwise. This section shall not apply to existing structures on existing junkyards, nor shall it apply to existing structures on new junkyards, so long as those structures were constructed prior to the effective date of this Part.
F.
No junk, scrap, automobile parts, motors or any other item of junk as defined in this Part shall be stored, maintained, situated, placed or otherwise located within 50 feet of any river, stream, run, creek, irrigation ditch or any other natural water course.
G.
The perimeter of the junkyard shall be enclosed or suitably screened, either with opaque fencing consistent with Chapter 27, "Zoning," but in no event to exceed six feet, or other suitable planted screening which shall create an opaque barrier between said junkyard and adjoining properties or public streets or highways. The erection of said screening shall be completed within 12 months after the date of the issuance of the initial junkyard license. The Board of Supervisors of the Township may, in its sole discretion, grant an extension of time for the completion of said screening, upon receipt of a letter from the said junkyard owner or operator requesting such an extension of time, and so long as the Board of Supervisors is satisfied that the owner and/or operator has clearly demonstrated that he/she is making a continuing bona fide effort to comply with the provisions of this subsection.
H.
The area between the provided wall or screening and any public street or highway or any residential lot or dwelling unit shall be subject to the all appropriate weed ordinances of the Township.
I.
Every structure erected upon or remodeled for use in connection with the licensed premises shall be constructed or remodeled with nonflammable material so as to be fire-resistant as that term is defined by the regulation of the Department of Labor and Industry of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania concerning the prevention of fire and panic.
K.
The Board of Supervisors shall have the authority, upon written request of a licensee or applicant, to waive any of the subsections of this section as the circumstances, in the sole judgment and discretion of the Board of Supervisors, may require in order to avoid an undue hardship or unrealistic application of the provisions of this section. The decision of the Board of Supervisors in granting or refusing to grant a waiver shall be exclusive and final.
[Ord. 2016-1, 1/4/2016]
All junk dealers and junkyards operating and existing in the Township on the effective date of this Part shall be required to comply with the provisions of and obtain a license under this Part within six months from the effective date. The Township may, in its sole discretion, grant one additional six-month extension for good cause shown. A late fee in an amount as established, from time to time, by resolution of the Board of Supervisors, shall be assessed for each day of violation of the above six-month period.
[Ord. 2016-1, 1/4/2016]
The Codes Enforcement Officer, Zoning Officer, or any other officer of the Township, shall from time to time inspect the premises of every licensee for the purpose of determining whether said licensee has established and maintained the premises in full compliance with the provisions of this Part and such rules and regulations as may hereafter be adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township regulating and licensing junk dealers in the establishment and maintenance of junkyards. Such inspections shall be conducted during reasonable hours of the day and, if conducted during the regular business hours of the licensee or applicant, may be done without prior notice to the licensee. If said inspections are to be conducted other than during the scheduled business hours of licensee or applicant, such inspections may be conducted upon 24 hours' notice, which may be either oral or written.
[Ord. 2016-1, 1/4/2016]
No junkyard as defined in this Part shall be granted a license unless off-street parking is provided within the property owner's boundary lines or on property immediately abutting said property.
[Ord. 2016-1, 1/4/2016]
This Part is intended to set forth the requirements only of the Township and shall not in any way be construed to be or constitute a waiver of any other licensing or registration requirements of any other governmental or regulatory agency, whether local, county, state or federal.
[Ord. 2016-1, 1/4/2016]
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this Part, upon conviction thereof in an action brought before a magisterial district judge in the manner provided for the enforcement of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs and reasonable attorney fees incurred by the Township in the enforcement proceeding and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 90 days. Each day that a violation of this Part continues or each section of this Part which shall be found to have been violated shall constitute a separate offense. For purposes of this section, the Board of Supervisors of the Township hereby appoints the Township Manager, Secretary, Zoning Officer, Permit Officer or Codes Enforcement Officer as authorized representatives, any one of whom, in addition to any police officer with jurisdiction within the Township, may commence and pursue enforcement proceedings pursuant to this section.