By Angela H. Hill
One man’s trash may be another man’s treasure, but not everyone agrees on where it should be stored.
Several county residents have contacted the Planning Commission about whether it’s okay for commercial salvage operations from neighboring counties to store their surplus inventory in Patrick County.
The Patrick County Planning Commission plans to examine how to restrict these moves, proposing at the Oct. 17 Patrick County Board of Supervisors meeting that the commission study the issue and solicit comments from affected residents.
“We don’t want to interfere with the rights of property owners,” Brenda Quesinberry, chairperson of the Patrick County Planning Commission, told the board. “We don’t feel like anyone should tell us what to do with the land we pay taxes on … but we all also understand we have the privilege to live in Patrick County and should be respectful of our neighbors.”
The Planning Commission has no plans to institute any type of zoning ordinance, Quesinberry explained, but it would like to evaluate the influx of salvage coming from businesses based in other counties.
“We have all seen the busses parked along VA 57 in Henry County,” she said. “I was informed that some of these buses have been moved into Patrick County. This poses the question, ‘Do we want the same view from our roadways?’ ”
Quesinberry said she’s received numerous phone calls from county residents and heard from Patrick County Building Inspector Jason Brown about the salvage activity.
“After my telling each person I spoke with, ‘There is no ordinance and nothing the Planning Commission can do,’ I decided to ask the Board of Supervisors if the Planning Commission could look into this problem.”
Once the Planning Commission further studies the issue, it will carry that research back to county supervisors for feedback. The Board and Planning Commission can then decide whether to draft an ordinance to regulate incoming salvage.
“We want to find out what is coming into the town and what are the issues,” Quesinberry said. “It’s not only commercial salvage. Abandoned homes have been hauled in—and I don’t mean trailers that people could live in, but homes that are uninhabitable.”
Quesinberry added that any proposed ordinance would not apply to junkyards; only to commercial salvage businesses. She said the ordinance would also not affect existing salvage yards, which are already complying with state regulations.
“And there will be some exceptions,” she said. “We do have farms in the area and they’re going to have commercial vehicles. We don’t expect anyone to tell the farmer down the road to put his tractors away.” She also said residents who keep old cars for restoration would not be affected.
Once the Planning Commission study is brought to the board of supervisors, it may take another six months to one year to draft the actual ordinance.
Quesinberry encourages residents to share their concerns and questions about the salvage issue at upcoming Planning Commission meetings or by calling her at (276) 952-6364.
