May 11, 2008 By Amy Zalar 4 min read

Plans by a Chalk Hill man to open a salvage yard in Fairchance were approved recently by the Fayette County Zoning Hearing Board, although the owner will not be permitted to crush vehicles on the site. The approval was granted in response to a request by Fred Ziegler for a special exception to allow the business to operate on the 16-acre M-1 light industrial zoned property on Collier Road. The zoning board placed conditions on the site that include providing and maintaining screen-type fencing, as well as installing and maintaining trees, shrubbery and landscaping to shield the view of the business on Collier Road. Another condition states Ziegler shall not crush or otherwise store or salvage any type of motor vehicles on the property.

During a hearing on the matter held in March, dozens of people attended, with some offering testimony against the proposal. Some people who testified expressed concerns about a nearby dangerous intersection that has been the site of numerous accidents.

Also, a letter from the superintendent of the Albert Gallatin Area School District, which is constructing a new elementary school nearby, was read into the record during the hearing. The letter lists opposition to the proposal, citing construction of the new school.

When asked by zoning hearing board member Mark Rafail during the hearing if he would object to conditions that would limit truck traffic during school times if the special exception were approved, Ziegler said he would not object.

One of the conditions of the approval is that Ziegler coordinate with the local school district to ensure that no truck traffic to or from the property occurs during the times when school bus or other school traffic and pedestrians are present on the road near the school.

Ziegler testified during the hearing that the business would primarily consist of bringing in filled, roll-off containers with scrap metal that will be sold to specialty buyers. He said plans were for a small portion of the business to include crushing vehicles, and if that were done, all liquids would be disposed of according to state regulations. Ziegler listed some of the metals he would collect as titanium, stainless steel, brass, copper and wire. He said an 8-foot metal chain-link screen fence would surround the 5-acre parcel where the business would be located.

In response to questions about tri-axle truck traffic that would enter his business, Ziegler said the business would not prompt a large amount of traffic.

The approval also stipulates that Ziegler must prohibit trucks from staging or parking on or near the local road prior to the opening of the business.

Ziegler testified that the planned hours of operation for the business are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. He said plans are to have four or five employees.

The approval comes following Ziegler’s second attempt to gain a special exception to open the business. In March 2007, the board held a hearing on the special exception and approved the request, but the case was appealed to Fayette County Court of Common Pleas for notification issues regarding neighboring property owners. The case was remanded to the zoning board for additional testimony.

Ziegler testified during the hearing that he has been operating a salvage facility since 2005 near Uniontown and a lot of that business is purchasing metal from the federal government. The metal is separated and resold. Ziegler said his first business started with two employees and now he has hundreds of employees.

Ziegler must adhere to the conditions in the approval, which include no crushing of vehicles and adherence to all state and local regulations, or the approval will be revoked.