Robeson supervisors uphold notice of violation over cars stored at Green Hills Road property

The Robeson Township Board of Supervisors on Wednesday upheld a code-enforcement notice that ordered removal of multiple unregistered or inoperable vehicles stored at properties identified as 1274 and 1282 Green Hills Road.

At an advertised hearing on the appeal, property owner Alan Cox testified he has stored collectible cars on the eight-acre parcel since buying it in 2005 and described many of the vehicles as covered, maintained and kept well back from the roadway. “I think I have at least maybe 40,” Cox said when asked to estimate how many cars were on the property, and he told the board he inspects them about weekly, had sold about three cars after the notice and planned, finances permitting, to build storage up the hill.

The township’s code-enforcement officer, Ted Nelson of Technicon Enterprises, presented photographs taken from the road and from overhead maps and said his April 28 inspection showed at least two vehicles that appeared partially dismantled or missing doors. Nelson testified the quantity and condition “appeared to be the beginnings of a junkyard,” raising concerns about potential rodent harboring and other nuisance conditions that can affect neighboring properties.

Solicitor Mark reminded the board that the township’s abandoned/junk-vehicle rules date back to 1984 and were incorporated into later codifications; Nelson said the June 1 notice of violation followed an April 29 courtesy letter after the township received a complaint on April 27. Appellants’ counsel argued the property’s use predated later ordinance changes and that the ordinance’s definitions and nuisance standard were being applied too broadly.

After hearing witnesses and reviewing exhibits, a supervisor moved to uphold the zoning/code-enforcement officer’s notice of violation; the motion carried on the board’s vote (three yes, one no, one abstention). The chair said the board would issue a written decision in the next few days.

What happened next: The board recessed briefly after the hearing and then continued with its regular workshop agenda, including public comment and other routine business.

Why it matters: The decision affirms the township’s authority to enforce its ordinance where enforcement staff find multiple unlicensed, dismantled or disabled vehicles stored outside a licensed junkyard. Board members noted the matter does not prevent future negotiation over compliance periods or remediation plans, but enforcement may resume if conditions worsen.

Key details and clarifications: The properties in question are recorded with deeds dated 12/19/2005 and recorded 03/10/2006; the initial complaint was received April 27, a courtesy letter was sent April 29 and a notice of violation issued June 1, with an appeal filed June 8. Owner Alan Cox described roughly 40 vehicles on the parcel, most covered by tarps and set back about 100 feet from Green Hills Road; Nelson testified the April photographs showed at least two vehicles that appeared inoperable or partially dismantled. The record shows no prior written remediation proposal from the property owners before the notice was issued.

Sources and next steps: The board accepted three exhibits into the record (photographs and ordinance pages) and said the formal determination will be sent to the parties by the solicitor in the next few days. Any enforcement steps or compliance timeline will follow the written decision.