Jasper County Council finds that junkyards:

(a)

Are a visual blight and are patently offensive to the aesthetic quality of the environment in Jasper County;

(b)

Pose a hazard to the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Jasper County;

(c)

Pose a fire hazard, and may cause soil and groundwater contamination;

(d)

Pose a threat of injury to children or other individuals who may be attracted to the premises;

(e)

Depreciate the value of surrounding properties and may inhibit future development of the area.

(f)

Junkyards as a nuisance. Additional requirements for the operation of junkyards and salvage yards and vehicle graveyards to prevent such from being a public nuisance are found at Chapter 10 of the County Code of Ordinances, and supplement the provisions of this Article 18.

Because of the negative impacts that junkyards have on the community, Jasper County Council has provided a standard for the establishment, use, and maintenance of junkyards in Jasper County so as to protect the health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of Jasper County.

In order to fulfill the purposes for which this ordinance is adopted, the provisions of this ordinance shall apply to all junkyards located in the unincorporated areas of Jasper County, regardless of when such junkyards were established.

(Ord. No. 17-09, § 2, 5-1-17)

(a)

Junk. The term "junk" shall include, but not be limited to abandoned barrels or drums, dismantled or inoperable industrial or commercial equipment or machinery being salvaged for parts, and the following old, scrap, or used items: metal; rope; rags; batteries; paper; cardboard; plastic; rubber; pallets; appliances; motors; industrial or commercial fixtures; rubbish; debris; wrecked, dismantled or disabled motor vehicles or parts thereof.

(b)

Junkyard. The term "junkyard" shall mean any property which is used in part or in whole for storing, keeping, buying or selling of items defined as "Junk." For the purpose of this ordinance, properly licensed sanitary landfills are exempt.

(c)

Fencing and screening. All junkyards shall be enclosed on all sides by a chain link fence with evergreen screening of an approved type, a wooden privacy fence, or other type material which has been given approval by the DSR. All metal or wooden fence posts shall have at least one-third of their length below ground level and shall be set in hard packed clay or concrete. All metal fence posts shall be treated with an anti-corrosive coating. All wooden posts shall be pressure treated or creosote coated lumber with at least a four inch by four inch nominal cross section.

i.

The term "fence" shall mean an eight-foot tall chain link, wooden fence, or fencing of other material which has been given approval by the DSR, which forms a substantial physical barrier which completely surrounds the junkyard, including all items defined as "junk" in article 18 of the Jasper County Zoning Ordinance and is capable of withstanding the effects of the local climate.

ii.

The term "evergreen screening" shall mean evergreen trees or shrubs with a minimum height of five feet at time of installation, and not less than eight feet when mature; spacing shall be based upon the species used so that at maturity the body of the branches of the tree or shrub shall not be more than one foot from the body of the adjacent planting. Acceptable species include, but are not limited to, Ligustium, Euonymous, Leyland Cypress, White Pine, Cedar, Arborvitae, Hemlock, and upright varieties of Juniper, Holly and Yew.

iii.

Landscaping is required outside of the fence when evergreen screening is not used. One evergreen shrub shall be installed for every five linear feet of fence on the side of the fence facing a neighboring property or public right-of-way. The minimum shrub shall be three to five gallons in size and shall be nursery stock with well-developed root systems. All planted areas shall be properly maintained and shall be provided with an irrigation system or a readily available water supply to ensure continuous healthy growth and development.

(d)

Location. Establishment of a junkyard shall be allowed in the Industrial Development District subject to the conditions contained here in article 18.

i.

No junkyard shall be located closer than 1,000 feet to any residential use, church, school, historical place or public park.

ii.

No junkyard shall be located within view of and/or 1000 feet of Interstate I-95, US 17, US 17A, US 278, US 301, US 321, US 601, SC 46, SC 170, SC 315, and SC 462 from 1-95 (Exit 28) to Highway 170 (North Okatie Highway).

iii.

No Junkyards shall be located within the 100-year floodplain.

(Ord. No. 17-13, § 3, 5-15-17)

(a)

All activity conducted on the premises must be contained within the visual screen as required in Section 18:2.3, and the fencing shall be securely locked unless being actively and contemporaneously supervised.

(b)

No junk shall be stacked, stored or maintained at a height greater than eight feet above the adjacent grade.

(c)

Adequate off-street customer parking must be provided, and must be graveled or paved in an acceptable manner.

(d)

All junkyards shall comply with all applicable chapters in the "Standard Fire Prevention Code" and any other pertinent requirements.

(e)

Scrap Metal Processors, while considered to be junkyards by definition, shall be exempt from the permit requirements of Section 8 herein. In addition, the eight-foot stacking requirement of subsection 7(b) shall not apply if the scrap metal processor is located substantially below the grade of the adjacent public road or is located more than 500 feet from any public road.

(f)

Upon receiving an appliance or vehicle, all junkyards or vehicle graveyards shall remove, as applicable, the battery, lubricants, fluids, coolants, refrigerants, and the like and shall recycle or dispose of same in accordance with all applicable state and federal laws regarding disposal of waste and hazardous materials. All vehicle graveyards shall annually provide the county a complete description of all vehicles received at such yard and shall certify that the requirements of this section have been met.

(g)

No junkyard or vehicle graveyard shall be used as a dump by the public. No burning of any material other than material specifically designed or suitable for the purpose of employee comfort. Any exception must be approved by state or local fire officials given a minimum of 24 hours' notice of such burn.

(h)

A surety bond shall be required of the site from contamination resulting from junkyard storage. Said surety shall be based upon the acreage of the site as follows:

(Ord. No. 17-13, § 3, 5-15-17)

All junkyards shall, within 60 days after the effective date of this ordinance, obtain a "Junkyard Operation Permit" and a letter stating the junkyard complies with the requirements of this ordinance. Such permit and letter of compliance shall be valid until March 1 of the following calendar year. A written request for reinspection, accompanied by a re-inspection fee as provided in the Jasper County Fee Schedule, must be submitted to the office of the DSR no later than January 15 of each successive year. The DSR, or his designee, shall then inspect the premises, notify the Junkyard operator of any corrections that need to be made, and issue the "Junkyard Operation Permit" and letter of compliance after completion of any required corrections.

No person shall establish, enlarge, or operate a junkyard after the effective date of this ordinance without first complying with the provisions set forth herein.

Additional requirements for the operation of junkyards and salvage yards and vehicle graveyards to prevent such from being a public nuisance are found at Chapter 10 of the County Code of Ordinances, and supplement the provisions of this Article 18.

(Ord. No. 17-13, § 4, 5-15-17)