[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Beekman 6-16-1960. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Littering — See Ch. 103.
Abandoned and vacant properties — See Ch. 114.
Unregistered vehicles — See Ch. 143.
Zoning — See Ch. 155.
A. 
By the adoption of this chapter, the Town Board of the Town of Beekman declares its intent in so doing to be to regulate, control and license the activities or businesses known as "auto graveyards," junkyards, secondhand parts collection areas, the processing of used metals for resale and the dumping, storage and disposal of waste, secondhand or used materials of whatever composition.
B. 
Said Town Board hereby declares that such activities or businesses can constitute a hazard to property and persons and a public nuisance. Such materials may be highly flammable and sometimes explosive. Gasoline tanks on old autos often contain, in some quantity, combustible gasoline. The engine and other parts of such autos are frequently covered with grease and oil which is also flammable. The tires, plastic seats, tops and other elements of such autos are also flammable. Batteries and other elements of such autos can contain acids and other matter potentially harmful to humans. These autos frequently contain sharp metal or glass edges or points upon which a human could receive serious cuts and abrasions. These autos can constitute attractive nuisances to children and certain adults. The presence of such junkyards is unsightly and tends to distract from the value of surrounding land and property unless such areas are properly maintained and operated.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
AUTO
Includes passenger autos, trucks, tractor-trucks, trailers, buses, motorcycles or other vehicles, however propelled, as well as tractors, bulldozers, machinery and equipment.
CUSTOMARY FARMING OPERATIONS
The production, preservation, processing and sale of agricultural products, livestock and poultry and dairy products.
GARAGE, PUBLIC
Any garage other than a private garage operated for gain and which is used for storage, repair, rental, greasing, washing, servicing, adjusting or equipping of automobiles other than motor vehicles.
NONCONFORMING USE
Legal use of land which does not conform to the regulations of this chapter.
PERSON
An individual, an association, a partnership or a corporation.
No person shall engage in or conduct on real property within the Town of Beekman, either for himself or for and on behalf of any other person directly or indirectly as agent, employee or otherwise, any activity or business, either for profit or otherwise, at wholesale or retail, which involves the collection, storage, burning, dumping, disassembling, dismantling, salvaging, sorting or otherwise handling or arranging for sale, resale, storage or disposal or otherwise of bodies, engines or parts of autos or of any other secondhand or used property of whatever material it is composed or any waste material, whether composed of wood, paper, cloth, cardboard, plastics, metals, stone, cement or otherwise, without first obtaining a license therefor as hereinafter provided. Excepted herefrom are:
A. 
Garages where the storage and dismantling of cars is used in the usual course of the business for automotive repairs and replacements.
B. 
Customary farming operations.
A. 
Each applicant for a license hereunder shall execute under oath an application therefor, to be supplied to him by the Town Clerk, which shall contain the following information:
(1) 
That the applicant is over 21 years of age.
(2) 
Whether he has ever been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor and such other facts or evidence as is deemed necessary to establish that he is a person fit and capable of properly conducting the activities or business for which the license is sought.
(3) 
A description of the exact type of business he intends to conduct and the nature of the materials he intends to handle.
(4) 
The number of employees he intends to engage.
(5) 
The name and address of the owner or owners of the land and the nature of the right of occupance of the applicant to the use of such land.
B. 
At the time of making the application, the applicant shall submit to and file with the Town Clerk a map or plan of the real property upon which he intends to conduct the activities or business for which he is making application for a license hereunder, with the area of such real property which it is proposed to use for such purpose and the location of the fence required hereunder indicated thereon, as well as the location of any buildings on such land and the location of any streets or highways abutting or passing through such land, the location of any water, sewer or gas mains or laterals available thereto as well as the general pattern of such land.
C. 
In the application, the applicant shall agree that, if granted the license applied for, he will conduct the activities or business pursuant to the regulations hereinafter set forth and that, upon his failure to do so, such license may be revoked forthwith.
A person presently engaged in or conducting an activity or business such as described herein on real property within the Town of Beekman on the effective date of this chapter or any amendment date thereafter may conduct such activity or business without change, indefinitely except as herein provided. This provision shall also apply to his grantees, successors or assigns. Such nonconforming use is subject to the following provisions:
A. 
Such nonconforming use shall be limited to the confines of the areas in use at the time the use becomes nonconforming, unless permission from the proper authorities permitting expansion is obtained. Before such permission is granted, proof shall be submitted that the proposed expansion will not increase the nonconforming characteristics of the use and lot.
B. 
If any such nonconforming use enterprise ceases to operate for a continuous period of two years for any reason other than the required participation of an owner, grantee, successor or assign or essential personnel of either in the military service, the right to use the premises for a nonconforming use shall be terminated. Such person as heretofore described must apply for a certificate of exemption therefor within 30 days of the adoption of this chapter. If the person conducting such activity or business is not the sole owner thereof, he shall state such fact at the time he applies for his certificate of exemption, and the Town Clerk, at the time of issuing such certificate of exemption, shall send the owner or either of them a notice of the issuance of such certificate of exemption, together with a copy of this chapter.
A. 
The fee for the license is hereby fixed in the sum of $25, which sum covers not only the cost of issuing the license itself but also the cost of making the necessary inspections of the premises to ascertain compliance with the regulations hereinafter prescribed.
B. 
Such license and/or exemption certificate shall be placed and at all times displayed in a conspicuous place at the licensee's place of activity or business for which it is issued.
C. 
Such license shall be effective from the date of its issuance until the 31st day of December of the year of such issuance, after which a new application for license must be made yearly if the licensee desires to continue such activity or business.
D. 
Such license is personal with the licensee. It does not go with the title of the land, nor may it be sold, assigned, transferred or disposed of except in the case of a nonconforming use.
E. 
Such license may be revoked by the Town Board after a public hearing thereon at which the licensee shall have an opportunity to be heard. Upon revocation of a license, the Town Board may require the removal of autos, parts and materials left as above provided in the case of an applicant for a temporary license who fails to qualify for a license.
F. 
In the event that an applicant for a license as provided herein shall have previously been duly issued a valid and effective junk dealer's license by the Supervisor of this Town, pursuant to the provisions of Article 6 of the New York State General Business Law, then such applicant shall be entitled to and allowed a credit against the above-provided license fee in the amount of $5, such junk dealer's license fee actually paid by such applicant; otherwise, this chapter shall be fully binding upon and applicable to the holder of any such junk dealer's license.
A. 
The licensee must personally manage or be responsible for the management of the activity or business for which the license is granted.
B. 
The licensee must maintain an office and a sufficient number of employees on the premises to assure the proper and safe conduct of such activity or business, to minimize the fire hazard therefrom and to prevent improper trespass thereon by children and others.
C. 
The licensee must erect and maintain a six-foot wire fence of close mesh or one made of wood or a planting of evergreen shrubbery used to conceal one area from the view of another area, adequate to prohibit the entrance of children and others into the area of the activity of business and to contain within such fence the materials dealt in by the licensee; and if such area abuts a residential area or public street or highway, such fence shall be 25 feet from the boundary line thereof. All the materials dealt in by the licensee shall be kept within such fence at all times.
D. 
Inside and adjacent to and contiguous with such fence, a strip of land at least 10 feet in width shall be kept free of all dry grass or other growth or other combustible materials so as to provide a fire lane or line around the whole area where the activity or business of the licensee is being conducted.
E. 
The autos, parts and materials dealt in by the licensee shall be disassembled or dismantled by means other than by burning. They shall be piled or arranged in neat rows so as to permit easy, clear passage through the area.
F. 
There shall be maintained at each such place of activity or business for which a license is issued at least one fire extinguisher of approved design and capacity for each 40,000 square feet of area. Each such fire extinguisher shall be hung or mounted in a conspicuous place, clearly marked and available.
G. 
When the area is not supervised by the licensee or his employees, the fence shall be locked at a secure gate in a secure manner.
H. 
Suitable sanitary facilities shall be available, connected to approved public sewers or septic tanks, for the use and convenience of the employees, if any, of the licensee as well as the general public visiting the area.
I. 
The area of the licensee's activity or business shall not be used as a dump area nor as a place for the burning and disposal of junk or trash.
J. 
The Town police, the Town Clerk or the Town Board or any of its representatives shall be granted access to the area of the activity or business of the licensee at all reasonable hours to inspect the same for compliance herewith.
A. 
The owner or licensee of any such place of business who commits or permits any acts in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed to have committed an offense against such chapter and also shall be liable for any such violation or the penalty therefor. Each day such violation shall continue or be permitted to exist shall constitute a separate violation.
B. 
Any person committing an offense against any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a violation and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punishable for each offense by a fine of not more than $250 or by imprisonment for not more than 15 days, or both.
[Amended 7-10-1990 by L.L. No. 5-1990]
C. 
Conviction for any above-mentioned violation shall constitute and effect an immediate forfeiture of the license.
D. 
Any person violating this chapter shall be subject to a civil penalty enforceable and collectible by the Town in the amount of $100 for each such offense. Such penalty shall be collectible by and in the name of the Town for each day that such violation shall continue.
E. 
In addition to the above-provided penalties and punishment, the Town Board may also maintain an action or proceeding in the name of the Town in a court of competent jurisdiction to compel compliance with or to restrain by injunction the violation of this chapter.