As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
AUTOMOBILE JUNKYARD
A place where one or more unserviceable, discarded, worn-out
or junked automobiles, or bodies, engines, tires, parts or accessories
thereof, are gathered together.
This chapter shall not apply to keepers of shops
for the purchase, sale or barter of books, pamphlets or periodicals
or household furniture.
No person shall engage in the selling, purchasing,
bartering or dealing in junk, old metals, or any other secondhand
articles, or establish, operate or maintain an automobile junkyard
in the Town without first obtaining a junkyard license for such purpose
from the Town Council.
Every applicant for a junkyard license shall
set forth with the full particulars, upon a form to be furnished by
the Town Clerk, answers to the following questions:
A. Name and address, both of residence and of business,
of the applicant.
B. Business or employment of the applicant during the
five years next preceding the application.
Before granting a license to keep a shop or storehouse for the reception of any junk, old metals, or other secondhand articles or to establish, operate or maintain any automobile junkyard in any location not lawfully occupied for such purpose at the time of the application for such license, the Town Council shall hold a public hearing, notice of which shall be posted at least seven days but not more than 14 days prior to the hearing in not less than two public places in the Town and in a newspaper of general circulation in the Town; provided, however, that, before the Town Council shall post or publish the notice of hearing, it shall collect from the applicant a fee in accordance with the fee schedule in Chapter
93, Fees, plus the cost of posting and publishing the notice.
No junkyard license required by this chapter
shall be granted for any location not lawfully occupied for such purpose
at the time of the application for the license where the owners or
occupants of the greater part of the land within 200 feet of such
building or place shall file with the Town Council their objection
to the granting of such license; provided, however, that this section
shall not apply to any applicant who is the licensed keeper of such
a shop, storehouse or automobile junkyard within the Town which is
being acquired under eminent domain proceedings.
Every junkyard license issued pursuant to this
chapter shall be for a term not exceeding one year, shall be revocable
at the pleasure of the Town Council, and shall be subject to the following
conditions and restrictions:
A. Every such licensed person shall keep in a book a
contemporaneous record in ink and in the English language of the business
done by him, as follows:
(1) A description of every article purchased or sold by
him, at the time of such purchase or sale;
(2) The name and residence of the person from or to whom
the same was purchased or sold; and
(3) The day and hour of such purchase or sale.
B. The book of record and every shop, warehouse, bag,
wagon, cart or foundry, or place of business of any such licensed
person shall be subject to the inspection and examination of the Town
Sergeant, Chief of Police or any person authorized by either of them.
C. No keeper of any junkyard, junk shop or warehouse
shall do or suffer to be done any business therein between the hours
of 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. of the following day.
D. Every keeper of any junk shop or warehouse licensed
pursuant to this chapter shall display a sign over the principal entrance
to the junk shop or warehouse on which shall appear his name and "Licensed
Junk Dealer," and post in a conspicuous place within such shop or
warehouse the license last granted to him.
All junkyard licenses granted under the provisions
of this chapter shall expire on May 1 succeeding the date of such
license, and no rebate shall be made from the license fee for such
license for any licensed term less than one year.
The fees for junkyard licenses required by this
chapter shall be as follows:
A. For the keeper of a shop or storehouse for the reception of any junk, old metals, or other secondhand articles which is not an automobile junkyard, a sum in accordance with Chapter
93, Fees.
B. For any foundryman or other person receiving junk for the purpose of melting the junk or converting the junk into castings, a sum in accordance with Chapter
93, Fees.
C. For any gatherer of junk in any bag, wagon or cart, a sum in accordance with Chapter
93, Fees.
D. For any person establishing, operating or maintaining an automobile junkyard, a sum in accordance with Chapter
93, Fees.
Any person who violates any of the provisions
of this chapter shall be punished in accordance with R.I.G.L. § 24-14-9.