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Commissioners schedule public hearing to update salvage, wrecking and junkyard ordinance
Summary
The court voted to post and schedule public hearings on revisions to the county's salvage/wrecking/junkyard ordinance that would move permitting to the fire marshal, require enclosed sites with 8‑foot height limits and mandate mailed notice to nearby schools, churches and residents for new permits.
Van Zandt County commissioners voted to move forward with a public‑hearing process to update the county’s salvage, wrecking and junkyard ordinance, the court announced at its July 1 meeting.
A county staff member explained the proposal is technically an amendment but recommended treating it as a new ordinance for posting and public‑hearing purposes because the rewrite incorporates multiple administrative code references. The changes would shift permitting and much of the administrative work to the county fire marshal’s office, require new salvage yards to be fully enclosed with no structures or material taller than eight feet, and impose a mailed‑notice requirement to nearby schools, churches and residents when a new operator applies for a permit.
The proposed amendment would create a single application document designed to collect all required approvals, reducing the need for applicants to search multiple code books. The presenter said the amendment would remove some responsibilities from current staff (naming Keegan) by routing initial applications and enforcement through the fire marshal’s office. The presenter also clarified scrap yards are distinct from the salvage/wrecking rules and are not covered by the proposed ordinance; scrap yards commonly stack material higher than eight feet and were explicitly excluded.
The court moved to post the proposed rules and to schedule public hearings; commissioners approved the motion unanimously. County staff said the hearing would follow the county’s public‑notice requirements (the presenter said posting for 10 days was expected) and that comments would be accepted at the hearing and the commissioners’ court would make the final decision on permits and any new salvage yards.
No ordinance text was adopted at the meeting; the court approved the posting and the public‑hearing process so residents and stakeholders can review and comment before adoption.
