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Potential Junk/Salvage Yards Regulation Updates
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Summary and Background Information:
Junk Yards, Salvage Yards, and Multi-Tenant Outdoor Storage Yards:
In recent years, staff has had on-going issues and concerns with the increase and expansion of junk yards, salvage yards, and multi-tenant outdoor storage yards in areas around the City. Development pressure from Denver, the availability of I-3 zoned land along the Front Range, and relatively low land values in Commerce City have all increased the desire for these types of land uses. Other jurisdictions may allow these uses but have limited available industrial land, increasing the likelihood that these uses locate in Commerce City. Legal non-conforming uses that have existed for many years but were never permitted and non-permitted expansions of previously legal uses complicate the conversation, and there has been unclear direction on what level of required site improvements should be implemented if these uses are to be permitted. The purpose of this study session is to review the existing code definitions and requirements and receive direction from City Council on how to proceed regarding these land uses.
Currently, the Land Development Code (LDC) defines junk yard, material recovery resource facility (i.e. recycling facility), outdoor storage, and salvage yard (see Exhibit A). The LDC currently only allows junk yards and salvage yards as a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) in the I-3 zone district. The CUP process typically requires site improvements similar to other types of industrial uses if those improvements do not already exist, which can be a significant expense compared to the investment or the land value of these type of land uses. A list of typical site improvements can be found in Exhibit B. Multi-tenant outdoor storage is not currently defined in the LDC but is functionally a large outdoor storage area on a vacant lot that is fenced and divided between multiple tenants but is not associat...
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