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Maplesville residents cite alleged vehicle 'chop shop,' sewage and safety concerns; commission refers some issues to other agencies
Summary
A Maplesville property owner told commissioners a neighboring business is cutting vehicles around the clock, dumping debris and causing sewage and groundwater contamination on adjacent land; commissioners advised involving health and law-enforcement agencies and noted a pending lawsuit.
Cassandra Velarde, who said she and her sister own property at 70 County Road 312 in Maplesville, told the Chilton County Commission during public comment that an adjacent business has been operating as a vehicle “chop shop,” repeatedly disassembling vehicles, storing batteries and tires, and bringing in fill dirt that she said is pushing sewage and runoff onto her property.
Velarde said operations run 24 hours, include grinders and heavy equipment, and that residents in an adjacent mobile site apparently live on the property. She said Chilton County Health Department staff visited and identified a septic backup; she also said she has a civil lawsuit pending “before Judge Pinkston” over the matter.
“Now this oil, this diesel, this battery acid is flowing into the ground and is gonna get in the ground water,” Velarde said. She also said surveillance cameras at the site record activity along her fence line and that she and her sister have reported shootings to the sheriff’s office.
Commissioners and staff told Velarde the county has limited authority for immigration or federal employment-law enforcement; Chairman Williams and other commissioners suggested the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), the county health officer, the sheriff’s office and the tax assessor may have roles to investigate environmental contamination, public-nuisance concerns and licensing or business-registration issues. A county official recommended starting with county codes, the health department and the sheriff’s office, and noted the county would follow up on business license and tax-assessment matters as appropriate.
Velarde said she has filed suit and that a health-department inspection found a septic failure that flooded property. Commissioners acknowledged receipt of the complaint and said staff would follow up; they did not vote on or authorize county enforcement actions at the work session.
The commission advised residents to continue pursuing law enforcement and health-department channels for immediate threats, and staff said they would look into business-license and tax-assessor records and coordinate with appropriate agencies as needed.
