ARTICLE 1. IN GENERAL

Sec. 5-7. Screening requirements.

(a) Pursuant to the authority provided under section 15.2-903 of the Code of Virginia, automobile graveyards or junkyards located in the County of York, regardless of the date on which any such automobile graveyard or junkyard may have come into existence and notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.1-348 of the Code of Virginia, shall be screened by natural objects, plantings, fences, or other appropriate means so as to ensure that any junk or inoperable vehicles shall not to be visible from the main-traveled way of any highway, street or road. For the purposes of compliance with the screening requirements established herein, the term inoperable vehicle shall be deemed to include any vehicle that has deflated tires, body damage rendering it incapable of being driven, missing wheels, tires, doors, hoods, trunk lids, fenders, major body panels or roofs, or missing or removed window glass

(b) Such screen shall be nontransparent, shall be a minimum of eight (8) feet in height measured from ground level at its base and of uniform height along its entire length. The screen shall be composed of one or more of the following materials, or such other materials or combinations thereof:

(1) Salt-treated or creosote-treated pine, cedar, cypress or similar decay resistant material.

(2) Protected metals, such as Teflon-coated steel, anodized aluminum or similar materials.

(3) Composite materials such as cementious planks, vinyl or PVC, or similar materials.

(4) Masonry construction such as brick, glazed terra-cotta or painted cinder block.

(5) Evergreen plantings, eight (8) feet in height at the time of installation, and of sufficient density and quantities to provide an immediate visual buffer.

(c) Fences shall be constructed in accordance with all applicable requirements of chapter 24.1, zoning, relative to the “finished side.”

(d) The walls of a building may be used to form a part of the screen required by this section provided, however, that the display or storage of goods thereon shall be prohibited.

(e) The contents of the automobile graveyard or junkyard shall not be placed or deposited to a height greater than the height of the plantings, fence or other screening methods used to comply with the terms of this section.

(f) The screening required by this section shall be maintained in good repair, and any damaged or deteriorated materials and/or dead plantings shall be reconstructed, repaired or replaced as necessary so as to provide and maintain the permanent visual screen.

(g) Notwithstanding the foregoing, automobile graveyards or junkyards that are established on or after June 19, 2007, or which otherwise shall fall within the application of County Code section 24.1-476, shall comply with the screening requirements imposed by that section.
(Ord. No. 07-10(R), 6/19/07)