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Click Here to view the 2020 Woodbury Junk Ordinance. Please respond here with questions or comments. Or start a new topic in this section for discussion of the ordinance before town meeting day.
I am highly in favor of a junk ordinance and believe this would improve the overall appearance of our town. If people want to trash their property, we don’t need to or want to see it!
The issue of free piles on the side of the road left to rot in the ditch before more items are added irks me and I am in favor of a time limit. One week seems reasonable. If the items are still there after a week, they should be considered garbage and leaving it in the public right of way is littering.
I don’t have a problem with a junk ordinance, but I think Section 1. Grants too much potential for abuse of power. Also I would like to see clarity in Section IV b where it states organic compost is exempt IF authorized by the State. I am not sure what the intent is. We have to compost, but now we need to be authorized?
Great comments thus far folks, I hope more people join the discussion! Thank you all for participating!
This comment was sent in by Peter Peltz, who was unable to post here despite many attempts so I am adding it to the discussion on his behalf.
“I abut a property on Rt 14 that is possibly the worse example for dumping solid waste and junk vehicles in Woodbury. I purchased my land in 1969; this situation has not changed since then. A few years back the only way the my abutters got inspected by town officials was with the presence of armed game wardens. There was an effort to clean up the lot that did not last long. Many junk vehicles, tires and much more are clearly evident there now.
A valuable lesson I learned from being a state rep for eight years is that laws are only effective when they are enforced. Unless there is a firm commitment from Woodbury’s civic leaders to enforce the Ordinance Regulating the Disposal of Solid Waste and the Outdoor Storage of Junk Vehicles not much will change. Perhaps fines that were levied with liens might be a start.”
While I do wish that everyone would respect their property and neighborhood enough not to trash their land I oppose the idea of a junk ordinance. To me it comes down to personal freedom. I’m in favor of fewer rules rather than more. I feel strongly that the negative aspects of this idea outweigh the positives. That being said, perhaps there is an alternative. Has anyone tried approaching a landowner and respectful asking them to clean up their property? That would be a first step, not another rule.
Taking care of our waterways and environment are top priority, however, this ordinance is over reaching. Junkyards next to waterways should be regulated, but I do not want an “authority” to tell me what container I need to put my compost in. Since the beginning of this pandemic property values have skyrocketed and Vermont has many new residents. The properties that have been turned over this year, sold behind the scenes to the wealthy, are now out of reach to the average income person and will remain so. People who have money and own property complain about those who don’t. Maybe they should pool their money and create a “free trip to the dump week”, where they can help their neighbors. An example of this snobbery: I watched the select board complain about an abandon car. No one offered to pay to have the thing towed back to its home. Apparently paying for sheriffs, and fining people who can’t afford it, is more fun. Some are worried about their property value, yet not one who complains, will pull a couch out of a ditch and bring it to the dump. Wealthy people drive by dumped tires everyday and rather than picking them up and taking them to the dump, they complain to the select board. This is pure classism. $60 can be a fun night at the Legion, or a week’s worth of food for a family, depending on who you are. Can we just take care of a few major problems and drop the rest? How about just making a rule that no one has the right to pollute someone else’s, or common property, and drop the state regulations. If we want a nicer neighborhood, we could start by being nicer people. We do nothing about noise pollution, aggressive driving, intolerable dust off the roads, thievery, blatant disrespect of others, but oh, our property value. P.S. I really have zero sympathy for neighborhood real-estate tycoons. Please stop trying to squeeze and bully the common people out of town. Lots of love, Gwen
Every property is diff, and perhaps those seeking prop values arent looking after the folks with less money. i know of a few unforunate folk who have inherited an issue.
i agree also with Gwendolyn Marsha and Ehiggins. Thank you.Need to also say this is a HOA implementation for our town! Def impedes on the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit!
So more thought.. this isn’t the time for this.
Still believe best summed up by Gwendolyn Marsha.
I will be at town meeting in what ever form.
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