RI City Approves Extension for Two Yards

The Woonsocket, R.I., city council approved a 30-day extension for the operating licenses of two junkyards that are deemed not in compliance with city regulations. The inspection of the two yards took place Dec. 2, said Michael Przybylowicz, Woonsocket’s zoning officer.

According to Przybylowicz, requirements that junkyards need to meet, as stipulated by the city include:

Having material 15 feet away from the property line; no stacking of vehicles, which could be viewed from outside the property; and the need for a six-foot high fence around the perimeter of the facility.

The two yards, A&M Auto Parts and Woonsocket Auto Salvage, have received an extension to make the changes needed to receive a 12-month permit. A problem for both of the yards is the need to move material further away from the fencing that surrounds the yards.

According to the Providence Journal, Woonsocket Auto Salvage was identified by officials as the most seriously noncompliant when the legislation was first passed. But officials now say that the business has been cooperating diligently to comply with the ordinance, even though necessary work is not yet done.

"They have spent a lot of time and incurred a lot of cost [getting into compliance]," said Joel D. Matthews, head of the city Planning and Development Department. He said that some 20,000 tires have been removed from the Auto Salvage site to date. "This is a huge undertaking," he said.