Lincoln County supervisors are moving toward a solution to ajunk problem that has cluttered the hearts of one neighborhood’sresidents for more than 10 years.

Supervisors on Monday agreed the smashed cars neatly outlining theGreenwood Lane property of John Lenoir are violating the county’slitter ordinance and set about a step-by-step process that couldend with the vehicles’ removal. The board asked Dr. DorothyAlexander, a spokesperson for a group of Lenoir’s neighborscomplaining about the unsightly property, to submit to them inwriting detailed complaints that have been aired in theboardroom.

“We could consider that a written complaint under the ordinance,investigate the landowners and require a written response,” saidboard attorney Bob Allen.

According to the guidelines of the county litter ordinance passedin December 2001, “litter” is defined as, “all trash, includingthat which is unsightly and/or excessive in accumulation, includingbut no limited to … abandoned automobiles, small automobileparts…” The law also lists abandoned automobiles as one ofseveral waste materials that could comprise an unauthorized dump,which are declared public nuisances. The rules apply to public andprivate property.

Lenoir told supervisors he has around 45-50 old automobiles on hisproperty. Alexander put the number around 100.

The law allows deputies or the county litter control officer toissue citations or corrective notices to landowners violating theordinance. Failure to comply with cleanup orders may result in amaximum fine of $50 on first offense, $250 the second time and $500or jail time and community service for the third offense.

If the landowner in violation doesn’t take corrective action within30 days of being issued a written notice, the county may cross ontoprivate land to clean the debris and charge the job’s costs back tothe landowner in the form of a property lien.

But supervisors are taking it slow.

“There are some constitutional due process issues, and whether youcall it that or not, there’s a certain amount of value to a junkcar,” Allen advised supervisors and Greenwood Lane residents.”Let’s take this one step at a time.”

Alexander and other Greenwood Lane residents appeared beforesupervisors Monday for the second time this month, and haveappeared numerous times since they first took issue with Lenoir’sjunk in early 2003. Alexander said the cars first began appearingin 1998, but Lenoir has not added any junked vehicles in four orfive years.

The complaining neighbors argue Lenoir’s vehicles are healthhazards, allowing breeding grounds for mosquitoes, rodents andsnakes; and have an adverse effect on local property values.

“We would like for this board to enforce what it has written, andthat is to serve this gentleman with a citation or a notice toclean up his property,” Alexander said. “It is not clean, it is notsafe and it is certainly not attractive.”