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Commissioners pass version of law on junk vehicles, debris

By LARRY KLINE - IR Staff Writer - 07/13/07

Lewis and Clark County commissioners on Thursday approved an updated version of the county’s community decay ordinance, a 20-year-old law governing junk vehicles, garbage and other debris.

The latest version was an attempt to streamline the ordinance by adding a list of defined violations and clarifying the enforcement section, Deputy County Attorney Jeff Sealey said.

“This just gives us a little more teeth than we’ve had,” Commissioner Ed Tinsley said.

The ordinance doesn’t affect working agricultural operations or shooting ranges.

Violations include the accumulation of trash, wrecked or ruined vehicles or mobile homes, building materials and other junk.

The ordinance is complaint-driven, and violators will have 40 days to comply with recommendations from the City-County Health Department.

Appeals may be made through the county commission or the state District Court.

The new ordinance will be posted online at www.co.lewis-clark.mt.us.

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Reader Comments:

consider_this wrote on Jul 28, 2007 7:51 AM:

" Why can't the county--or the city, for that matter--do anything about all the junk cars sitting in peoples weed-ridden lots for years? They have tumbleweeds under them; they have snow on them all winter. Wassup wit dis? "

gln wrote on Jul 14, 2007 8:42 AM:

" This could be a very positive step towards improving the community,,, but the big question always is- WILL YOU USE IT, and WILL YOU ENFORCE IT! It is a surprise to me to read that 1- you had a prior law, and 2- it's 20 years old. So what teeth were missing from that one to make it basically ineffective? Example- you want visitors to make it out to Canyon Ferry Lake? put on a fresh set of eyes and make the drive,,, you have junkyards, even right up to the turn to the lake. And you think visiors are turning a blind eye to this? Beautiful country side and then "BOOM" junk vehicles, debris, etc,,, basic eye-sores to the area. And it has not gotten any better over the years. So obviously you wasted time- and money by improving (???) the current ordinance,, but someone has to file a complaint to initate the process? Where is your accountability? "