Recyclers Appeal to County to Approve Site

Commissioners for Morgan County, Colo.,  will take 15 days under advisement to decide whether or not to approve a special use permit for a business proposed to open on key property on the outskirts of Brush, Colo. (Click here to read earlier story)

In a special meeting March 4, Gerald Mares of Brush and Isidor Estrada of Fort Morgan pleaded for the permit -- and the livelihood of their business -- before county commissioners and strong opposition from the City of Brush, the Brush Area Chamber of Commerce and petitions totaling 250 signatures.

The two had asked the county to issue a special use permit to utilize a 4.31-acre site roughly 300 feet from the intersection of Highways 34 and 71 in Brush to buy and sell used farm equipment, as well as recycle metal and scrap under the name GNI.

The duo, however, was first shot down in February when the Morgan County Planning Commission recommended commissioners deny the men's request.

Earlier this week, the two heard a lot of the same.

Karen Schminke, Brush assistant city administrator, spoke for the City of Brush. "We are very supportive of business," she said. "The more businesses that are created, the better it is for Brush. We do see a need for their business; we're just concerned about the location. We have identified that property as a future commercial location."

She said the city is "looking to preserve the visual qualities of the entrances to Brush. This type of business is hard to keep clean and attractive to (traffic) coming in. It's not a good location for a business like that."

In addition to the high volume of complaints received by the city from citizens against the idea, she suggested, "There are alternative locations better suited for the business that still have access to the highway and are centrally located in the county."

All in all, Schminke said, the city is concerned about the negative visual impacts, agrees that there are alternative locations to house the business and requested that commissioners deny the two men's request.

Mares and Estrada, however, feel that their business site plans are misunderstood. For one, the proposed site, 29200 Highway 34 in Brush, will not crush cars -- an aspect, it was reported, that many thought was part of the business.

"It's not a junkyard," Mares said. "I don't think people believe us. The only way I think people will believe us is if we get the permit and show you (the type of business we intend to run). People believe what you do, not what you say."

He said the business -- which they hope to move from their current location on County Road 15 -- will be a drop-off spot, in part, for appliances and cars. Then the salvage will be hauled to Denver. "It won't be (on site) that long," he said.

In addition, Mares said scrap recyclables that aren't immediately taken off site will be stored in a 300 by 325 by 210-foot triangular fence on the east end of the lot, and away from the most visible side of the business. At the west end of the lot -- which would face traffic -- used farm equipment like tractors, he said, will be "kept in fairly neat rows."

If they are not allowed to store junk vehicles on the lot -- seven to 10 at any one time to be taken to Denver -- "It's a big thing. It's at least 10 percent of our business right there."

He said the longest period of time a scrap vehicle would sit on the premises would be from two weeks to a month and that loads containing appliances are taken to Denver twice a day.

Even so, Ron Prascher, executive director of the Brush Area Chamber of Commerce, said he's opposed to the salvage yard portion of the men's business. He is not, however, opposed to the sale of used farm equipment. But, he added, "It would be hard to keep things nice and clean."

He also said that entrances to cities are important, especially entrances that draw close to 6,000 cars daily. "You need to entice people to come in to town."

The lot, as it sits, is highly visible as traveling visitors near Brush from the east.

In addition, the Brush Chamber continues to work on Main Street projects geared at improving the business climate in the city's downtown. "We have strong (citizen) opposition to this. It is a strong issue in our area. (GNI) would cause problems to our Main Street program," a project to revitalize the economy of Brush.

He also said that because of the lay of the land, a six-foot or even eight-foot fence erected to block the view of scrap appliances and junk vehicles from the highway "would not help out much at all. That was a major factor."

Prascher added, "It's unusual for a chamber to come out against a business. But it's a risk we thought we had to take."

Mares, who did most of the speaking for the two permit applicants, said a plan for a building to cover the scrap, as well as company equipment, is being discussed. Depending on how the business does financially, he said it's possible a building could go up within a year of an approved permit.

Commissioners, however, also brought up environmental concerns. Refrigerators, which could possibly be dropped off and stored temporarily at the site, contain freon.

Mares explained that he hires professionals to properly clean and dispose of environmentally hazardous materials like freon.

Commissioners also expressed concern that leakage from vehicles (antifreeze, motor oil and gasoline) could seep into the ground.

Mares said that nothing would be purposely drained, but that if an accident did occur, "it would be properly handled."

Even so, Schminke stressed that the city frowns on appliances and scrap that could cause the prime lot to appear unsightly. She added that there is a difference between a salvage operation and true junkyard, but that the "the outward appearance is virtually the same. It's still a pile of something."

The city, she continued, wants the lot to cater visually to highway travelers, and be home to a business with high sales potential -- the sort of business, she noted, "that generates higher sales tax revenues."

Prascher later said he was also concerned following testimony that people often dump scrap like washers and dryers in front of salvage yards similar to the one the men are proposing. While it might be cleaned up relatively quickly, he asked what would happen if scrap was left over the weekend, when many events in the city take place.