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Junk-car law won't help, township declares
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - June 24, 2009)
Junk-car law won't help, township declares
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
Keeping junk cars out of neighborhoods is routine work handled by virtually every zoning inspector in Geauga County. Rules are in place in every zoning code to deal with cars that are unlicensed or deemed immobile.
So, when the state recently rewrote the definition of a junk vehicle to help in the quest to keep them out of neighborhoods, local officials were asked to review and decide whether they want to use it in their zoning codes.
In Chardon Township, the answer is an unequivocal "no."
"It's just stupid," township Zoning Inspector Donald Mohney said.
He stated his opposition to adopting the new state definitions to Township Trustees last week. He said the zoning commission was considering the new definitions as part of the township code.
Mr. Mohney said there's one factor that he deems unacceptable. The definition, he said, was based on three factors, one of which was that the vehicle must to be three years or older. That age could leave some junk vehicles sitting in residential areas for a while, he said.
In two cases previously handled by the township, he said, that definition would have left the township powerless to take any action.
Trustee Steven Borawski said one of those instances involved a brand new car that had been totaled in an accident. The owner of the vehicle, he said, had it towed to his property and left there.
The new definition would not have classified it as a junk vehicle, he said.
Mr. Mohney said the township is not bound by the state to adopt the new definitions. "We don't have to have the same, and that's good," he said.
Mr. Borawski said the existing township ordinance on junk vehicles has been challenged in court and been upheld, indicating that it still would be able to accomplish what the township wants when it comes to junk vehicles.
Mr. Borawski said the township always has taken a friendly, rather than a heavy handed, approach in attempting to work with homeowners on such matters.
Mr. Mohney agreed. He said the township acts when its receives a complaint on junk vehicles, rather than just go searching them out.
He said his first approach is to speak with the homeowner to explain the situation. If the homeowner takes no action, he said, he will send a formal letter after 30 days. If the homeowner fails to take any action in another 30 days, he said, the matter is referred to the Geauga County Prosecutor's Office for civil action.
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