[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of West Seneca 2-1-1988. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Dumping — See Ch. 63.
Property maintenance — See Ch. 92.
Zoning — See Ch. 120.
A clean, wholesome, attractive environment is essential to the health, safety and general welfare of the community and to the maintenance and continued development of the economy. It is further declared that the unrestrained operation of junkyards, as defined herein, is a hazard to such health, safety and general welfare of the community, necessitating the regulation thereof. At the same time, it is recognized that junkyards are a useful and necessary business, not to be discouraged when not in conflict with the express purposes of this section.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BUILDING DEPARTMENT
The Building Department of the Town of West Seneca.
JUNK
Scrapped, dismantled or wrecked motor vehicles or parts thereof, or other scrap ferrous and nonferrous material.
JUNKYARD
An establishment or place of business which is maintained, operated or used for storing, buying or selling, dismantling, salvaging or handling junk.
MOTOR VEHICLE
Any vehicle propelled or drawn by power other than muscular power, originally intended for use on paved or unpaved surfaces.
PERSON
Any individual, corporation, partnership, association, agency or any other legal entity.
TOWN BOARD
The Town Board of the Town of West Seneca.
Applicants shall comply with all applicable state laws and local laws, such as but not limited to the following:
A. 
Section 136 of the General Municipal Law (licensing).
B. 
Section 415-a of the Vehicle and Traffic Law (dismantling registration).
C. 
Section 89 of the Highway Law (junkyard siting).
D. 
Sections 1271 and 1276 of the Public Health Law (open burning).[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Sections 1271 and 1276 of the Public Health Law were repealed L. 1972, c. 664, § 6, effective September 1, 1972. See now § 19-0301 of the Environmental Conservation Law.
E. 
Sections 17-0501 and 17-0701 of the Environmental Conservation Law (water pollution).
F. 
Section 120-22A(4) of the Zoning Ordinance of the Town of West Seneca.
No person shall operate, establish or maintain a junkyard without:
A. 
Obtaining a certificate of zoning compliance.
B. 
Obtaining a license to operate a junkyard.
C. 
Obtaining approval of location.
D. 
Complying with all applicable regulations of other involved agencies as outlined in § 78A-3.
A. 
Certificate of zoning compliance. The applicant shall obtain a letter of zoning compliance, to be issued by the Building Department, prior to proceeding with the application.
B. 
License and location requirements. The applicant shall submit an application for a license to operate a junkyard and for the approved location of such junkyard using forms supplied by the Building Department. The applicant shall also follow site plan review procedures.
A. 
Date and considerations. The Town Board shall hold a public hearing not less than two (2) weeks nor more than four (4) weeks from the date of receipt of the Planning Board's recommendations and shall hear statements from the applicant and all others wishing to be heard at the hearing.
(1) 
Licensing considerations. The Town Board shall consider the applicant's ability to comply with fencing and any other local regulations, any record of criminal convictions and any other relevant information.
(2) 
Location considerations. The Town Board shall consider proof of legal ownership or the right to the use of the site, the nature of the development of the surrounding property and whether or not the proposed location poses a serious threat to public health and safety.
(3) 
Other considerations. The Town Board may also take into account aesthetic considerations. In this connection, the Town Board may consider the type of road servicing the junkyard and the natural and/or artificial barriers screening the junkyard from public view. Upon a negative determination, the availability of other suitable sites should be considered.
B. 
Decision. The Town Board shall decide to grant or deny the application within forty-five (45) days of the hearing date, giving notice of its decision by mail to the address given on the application.
A. 
Issuance of license. If approved and upon payment of a fee established by the Town Board, the license shall be issued at the direction of the Town Board and will remain in effect for one (1) year. The license is not transferable.
B. 
Renewal. The license may be renewed each year upon payment of the annual license fee without a hearing, provided that all provisions of this chapter are complied with, the junkyard does not become a public nuisance and the licensee is not convicted of any type of larceny or the receiving of stolen goods. Where any of these situations has occurred, such license may be revoked by the Town Board after a public hearing thereon. Upon revocation of a license, the Town Board may require the removal of all junk on the premises.
Owners of junkyards already established shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter and shall comply with such provisions before their licenses are renewed.
A. 
Standards.
(1) 
Location. All future junkyards shall be so located that no part thereof shall be within five hundred (500) feet of a church, school, hospital or public building.
(2) 
Fencing and screening. All junkyards shall be completely surrounded by a fence at least eight (8) feet in height with gates that can be closed and locked. Such fence shall be a minimum of fifty (50) feet from a public street. In addition to security, such fence, including any landscaping, shall also provide a visual screen or buffer sufficient to conceal all junk and operations from public view. Fencing and landscaping shall be maintained in such manner as to present a neat and orderly appearance at all times.
(3) 
Fire lanes. Fire lanes offering adequate access to building and storage areas shall be provided and maintained as required under the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code.
(4) 
Arrangement. All junk shall be piled or arranged in neat rows to permit easy and clear passage through the area.
B. 
Requirements.
(1) 
The licensee shall personally manage the activity for which the license is granted.
(2) 
The licensee shall maintain an office and keep permanent books and records which shall be maintained on the premises at all times.
(3) 
Gates shall be kept locked in a secure manner whenever the junkyard is not supervised by the licensee or his employees.
(4) 
No junkyard shall be used as a dump area nor as a place for burning and disposal of trash.
(5) 
The Enforcement Officer or the Town Board or any of its representatives shall be granted access to any junkyard at all reasonable hours to inspect for compliance herewith.
Any person aggrieved by any decision of the Code Enforcement Officer relative to the provisions of this chapter, or the Town of West Seneca, may appeal such decision to the Zoning Board of Appeals, as provided in the Zoning Ordinance of the Town of West Seneca.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 120, Zoning.
Any person who violates any provision of this chapter or any regulation adopted hereunder is guilty of an offense punishable by a fine not exceeding three hundred fifty dollars ($350.) for the first violation; a minimum of three hundred fifty dollars ($350.) and a maximum of seven hundred dollars ($700.) for a second violation within five (5) years; and a minimum of seven hundred dollars ($700.) and a maximum of one thousand dollars ($1,000.) for a third or subsequent violation within five (5) years; or imprisonment for a period not to exceed six (6) months, or both. Each week's continued violation shall constitute a separate violation.
The Building Inspector shall be empowered to enforce this chapter and the regulations set forth herein.