§ 31-708. JUNKYARDS/AUTOMOBILE GRAVEYARDS, STORAGE YARDS AND SCRAP METAL PROCESSING YARDS.

(a)

APPLICABILITY. This Section shall apply to any automobile graveyard, automobile storage yard, junkyard and scrap metal processing yard, as defined in Section 18-31 of the City Code and this Ordinance.

(b)

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS. No conditional use permit or building permit shall be issued for a junkyards/salvage yard and heavy equipment or industrial storage lot unless all of the following standards and criteria are satisfied:

(1)

A solid fence or wall not less than five (5) or more than six (6) feet in height or approved vegetative screening shall be provided and maintained in good condition, on or adjacent to the joint lot line. Screening may also be required as appropriate to enclose storage areas from view from street or neighboring property.

(2)

A fifty-foot (50′) buffer between the property lines and storage yards shall be maintained.

(3)

All sides of any storage yard shall be screened from the view of all surrounding land uses and all streets and rights-of-way.

(4)

The wall or fence of the outdoor storage yard shall be of solid, one hundred percent (100%) opaque construction of wood, masonry or other similar material approved in writing by the Administrator.

(5)

All sides of the heavy equipment or industrial storage lot shall be screened from the view of all surrounding land uses and all streets and rights-of-way.

(6)

All outdoor yards or storage lots shall comply with the following:

A.

No yard or storage lot shall be placed or maintained within a required yard setback.

B.

Stored items shall not project above the screening.

C.

All screening shall be installed in a professional and workmanlike manner, and maintained in good condition.

(7)

Unusable items shall be disposed of and not be allowed to collect on the premises.

(8)

All tires not mounted on a vehicle shall be neatly stacked or placed in racks. If stacked, the stacks shall not be stacked over six feet in height. No garbage or other putrescent waste, likely to attract vermin, shall be kept on the premises. Gasoline, oil, or other hazardous materials which are removed from scrapped vehicles or parts of vehicles kept on the premises shall be disposed of in accordance with applicable federal, state and local regulations. All other regulations of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the City such as, but not limited to, building codes, fire codes, weed regulations, and health regulations shall apply to the operation of all such uses.

(9)

The user subject to this Section (see Subsection (1), above) shall comply with Chapter 18, Article II, of the City Code.