Junk crackdown — Council calls for cleaner commercial areas

Concerns over junk vehicles and informal storage on commercial property took center stage at the Nov. 17 Newcastle City Council meeting, with council members pressing for clearer enforcement and immediate action.

“I think there’s a difference between something zoned commercial for a commercial purpose and then somebody just stacking their crap on it,” Councilman Tom Voss said at the outset of the discussion. Pointing to areas behind Pizza Hut and a lot across from the former Black Hills Energy building, he added, “It’s not a storage yard. It’s zoned commercial for a reason.”

City Attorney Dublin Hughes said the city’s existing junk ordinances already apply citywide and give the city authority to cite property owners. 

“If there are property owners who are just storing junk, they can be cited,” he said. “Eventually they will have to clean it up or they will continue to be cited.” He cautioned that trying to split junk regulations by zoning district “would really complicate the plot pretty quickly.”

Voss pushed for more targeted enforcement on commercial-zoned parcels. 

“When something is zoned C1, C1 means you have to get a salvage yard permit and you have to run a commercial business,” he said. “Otherwise you’re not commercial.” 

He tied the issue to the city’s economic aspirations. 

“Nobody is going to want to move here or do anything as long as we’ve got junk parked everywhere,” Voss said.

Some council members questioned how broadly such enforcement should be applied. 

“That’s all over town. What are you going to do?” Councilman Darin Downs asked. 

“We have to start somewhere and we’re going to work all over town,” Voss said.  

When Downs replied with “good luck,” Voss answered, “Thank you for your good support, councilman.”

Mayor Tyrel Owens supported that idea. 

“It’s right on Main Street,” he said. “That would be a good place to start.” 

Owens also referenced the book “13 Ways to Kill Your Community,” which he had previously provided to the council. 

“If you have a community that is in disrepair, it draws the wrong crowd,” he said. “A community that looks nice and presentable draws the right crowd.”

The conversation grew out of an earlier update from Hughes, who is preparing revisions to Chapter 26, the city’s junk and nuisance sections. 

“There’s nothing in there that is incredibly illegal, but there are some things I do not completely understand that you use wording for,” he said. 

Hughes requested time with the water and sewer committee to review language and noted he still has several ordinances left to finish.

He closed the discussion by acknowledging the widespread nature of junk concerns. 

“Clearly what has been a very common issue in the community is the junk vehicle and just junk in general,” Hughes said, telling council members he is researching the limits of citing junk on private property. 

“It’s a complicated little issue in itself,” Hughes said, “but I will have something to the council come spring, I promise.”