ARTICLE 705
Salvage Yards
705.01   Authority, purpose, title and effective date.
705.02   Definitions.
705.03   Permit application procedures.
705.04   Site design standards.
705.05   General standards.
705.06   Administration, enforcement and violations.
705.07   Amendment; conflict; severability.
 
CROSS REFERENCES
Loads dropping or leaking - see TRAF. 347.04
 
705.01 AUTHORITY, PURPOSE, TITLE AND EFFECTIVE DATE.
   (a)   General Authority. By authority of the Code of West Virginia, Chapter 17, Article 23, Section 4, the Town is empowered to adopt, administer and enforce reasonable rules and regulations for the establishment of a salvage yard.
   (b)   Purpose. The purpose of this article is to carry out the intent and purpose of the Code of West Virginia relating to licensing and operation of salvage yards within the State of West Virginia. Such administrative services will be performed for the appropriate use of land, for the protection of the health, safety, comfort, convenience and general public welfare of County residents.
   (c)   Title. This article shall be known and may be cited and referred to as the “Salvage Yard Permit Article”.
   (d)   Permit Required. On and after the enactment date of this article, any owner or operator establishing, operating, maintaining or expanding a salvage yard for which a West Virginia Department of Highway’s license has not been previously issued is hereby required to obtain a nontransferable permit from the Putnam County Planning Commission.
   (e)   Exempt Activities. The following activity is expressly exempt from the provisions of this article:
Any new or used motor vehicle dealer licensed by the State of West Virginia or any commercially established motor vehicle repair shop; provided, that any junked motor vehicles on site are serving a reasonable functional use in the operation of the business, unless otherwise determined to be a salvage yard by the Building Permit Officer.
   (f)   Effective Date. This article shall take effect immediately upon adoption and shall apply to all salvage yards within the Town.
705.02 DEFINITIONS.
   For the purpose of this article, the following definitions shall apply:
   (a)   “Building Permit Officer” shall refer to the person or persons authorized to review salvage yard permit applications; make inspections of proposed site and its effects on other properties and investments; and make recommendations for consideration of the Planning Commission.
   (b)   “Commission” shall refer to the governing body of the County in which such salvage yard is to be located.
   (c)   “Community Impact Statement” means a report prepared by an applicant assisted by the Planning Commission Staff describing the scope and the feasibility of the proposed salvage yard. The Community Impact Statement also describes the physical, social and economic impacts a proposed facility may bring to the County and to the immediate area.
   (d)   “Fence” See “screen”.
   (e)   “Owner or operator” includes an individual, firm, partnership, association, or corporation or the plural thereof.
   (f)   “Planning Commission” shall refer to the designated agency to administer this article within the Town.
   (g)   “Salvage” shall mean old or scrap copper, brass, rope, rags, batteries, paper, rubber, trash, waste, junked, dismantled, or wrecked machinery, machines or motor vehicles, iron, steel, and other old or scrap ferrous or nonferrous materials.
   (h)   “Salvage yard” means any place which is maintained, operated or used for the storing, keeping, buying, selling, or processing of salvage, or for the operation and maintenance of a motor vehicle graveyard, and the term shall also include garbage dumps and sanitary landfills. Any collection of three or more automobile hulks, or combination of ferrous or nonferrous materials together with one or more automobile hulks, or a collection of any salvage contained in an area more than one-quarter acre in size, shall be considered a salvage yard.
   (i)   “Screen” means an enclosure, barrier or screen constructed of materials or consisting of appropriate plantings, natural objects, or other appropriate means approved by the Building Permit Officer and located, placed or maintained so as to effectively screen at all times salvage yards and the salvage therein contained from the view of persons passing upon the public roads of this Town. See guidelines for a more detailed description of “screen.”
   (j)   “Sketch plan” means an informal drawing of a salvage yard proposal design and layout which is prepared according to the provisions of this article and which assists the Planning Commission and the applicant in reviewing the general scope, feasibility and impact of a proposed project.
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