It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation, including its officers and employees, to carry on, maintain, or conduct a motor vehicle salvage yard or yards for the storage of non-operating motor vehicles or storage of any iron or steel parts or salvage, inoperable motor vehicles or parts therefrom, ties, dilapidated or defunct machinery and equipment of any kind, building and construction materials or any kind and all other materials or matters tending to create a health or fire hazard, unless the same is carried on, maintained or conducted in compliance with the following regulations:

(a)   Such salvage yard or storage yard establishment shall be carried on, maintained or conducted entirely inside an enclosed building or buildings, or on premises entirely enclosed by a solid fence or wall at least seven feet in height, but not more than 10 feet in height, and constructed according to the applicable ordinances of the city. Such solid fence or wall shall be maintained in a neat, substantial, safe condition and shall be painted unless constructed of masonry or rust proof metals, and no signs or other advertising matter shall be placed upon such fence or wall.

(b)   All gasoline, oil or other inflammable liquid and all gas or gasoline shall be drained and removed from any inoperable motor vehicle so stored following 10 days custody thereof.

(c)   All vehicles and parts, iron and steel parts, or salvage, inoperable motor vehicles or parts thereof, tires, dilapidated or defunct machinery and other equipment, and salvage material located in or on the premises shall be so arranged that reasonable inspection or access to all parts of the premises can be had at any time by the proper fire, health, police and building authorities.

(d)   The storage of such vehicles or salvage materials set out above and parts therefrom shall not be maintained or permitted to accumulate so that the same exceed the length of the enclosed solid fence or wall or nearer than two feet to such walls or structures.

(Ord. 73, Sec. 1)

The provisions of this article shall not apply or effect such persons, firms or corporations, including its officers or employees, which maintain inventories of steel or other materials used in the regular course of their business and operation, if the same shall maintain such inventories or other materials on such open lots or parcels of ground in bins or racks or other suitable storage devices to be approved by the city fire chief, the city marshal, or the county fire chief or their authorized representatives, so that the fire department and police department of the city or their authorized representatives, may have access to such premises for ingress and egress, which premises, including the shoulders and right-of-way of all public streets and alleys shall be kept free and clear of any and all obstructions for emergency fire and police equipment.

(Ord. 163, Sec. 1)

The following terms, as used in this article, are hereby defined as follows:

(a)   Non-Operating Motor Vehicles and Inoperable Motor Vehicles means any motor vehicle which is wrecked or partially wrecked or dismantled, in whole or in part, or is incapable of being started and driven for a period of 10 days, or is not moved from its location under its own power for a period of 10 consecutive days.

(b)   Salvage Material means materials of some value that are obtained from the disassembly or various kinds of machinery, mechanical appliances, and/or the demolition of buildings or structures.

(c)   Salvage Yards means any premises used for:

(1)   Sale and resale of salvage material; or

(2)   The disassembly of two or more wrecked or used vehicles for the use and/or sale of vehicle parts;

(3)   The storage and/or resale of various kinds of metal and/or used building materials.

(d)   Vehicles means a machine propelled by power other than human power designed to travel along the ground by use of wheels, treads, runners, or slides and which transports persons or property or pull machinery and shall include without limitation an automobile, truck, trailer, motorcycle, tractor, buggy, motorcycle, motor bike, motor scooter and wagon.

(Ord. 163)