Chapter 234 of the Local Government Code and Chapter 396 of the Transportation Code allow Dallas County to regulate certain outdoor businesses like junkyards. Under the county’s outdoor business regulations, various fencing/screening/setback requirements have been established for the following types of businesses:
- Automotive wrecking and salvage yards.
- Demolition businesses that demolish structures in order to salvage building material and that store these materials before disposing them Junkyards.
- Outdoor resale businesses (i.e., those businesses that sell used merchandise other than automobiles, logging equipment, or other agricultural equipment and that stores or displays the merchandise outside.
- Recycling businesses.
Such businesses would be required to screen their operations with a solid barrier fence with a height of at least eight feet. The fence must be painted a natural earth tone color, may not have any sign on its surface other than a sign indicating the business name, and must be maintained in a neat, orderly, upright, and sound manner at all times.
In addition to these screening/fencing requirements, junkyards and automotive wrecking and salvage yards may not be located within fifty feet of the right-of-way of a public street, state highway, or residence. Materials stored at these businesses may also not be stacked higher than eight feet above ground level.
These regulations would apply to both new businesses and existing businesses. Existing businesses would be given up to twelve months to comply with these requirements.
Exceptions to these requirements, per the statute, are also provided for farm machinery that is stored on property for purposes other than sale and for junkyards located within 1000 feet of an interstate highway.
