One Man’s Trash…

Junk…it’s the hot topic going around Johnston, South Carolina lately. Some people think it’s time to clean up the clutter. Others say, one man’s jalopy, is another man’s jewel, and their junk, isn’t junk at all. Count on Joy Howe for the story.

By Joy Howe
WJBF News Channel 6 Aiken County Reporter
Published: November 13, 2008

Johnston, SC—Matthew Weaver has been tinkering on cars for more than a decade. He’s got a collection lined up in his front yard….they need some work, but Weaver says he’d hardly call them junk.

Matthew Weaver, Johnston, SC: “How can it be junk, it’s got new tires on it, windows aren’t broken…”

But over at City Hall, the mayor has been given the job of cleaning up “junk and abandoned vehicles.“

Mayor Willie Campbell, Johnston, SC: “We’re making sure that the town’s best interest is taken into account.“

Johnston’s junk car ordinance has been in place since 2001….but recently, the town council has been more active in enforcing it.

The ordinance says residents can only have two unregistered vehicles on their property…and only for a maximum of 45 days. After that, they have to be placed inside a shed, or surrounded with a fence or hedges to keep them out of sight.

Mayor Campbell: “If you really want to sell your house, for example, but you have a neighbor with all these cars, and all this stuff out there, chances are you’re not going to sell your property.“

Weaver: “If someone’s going to tell you what you can, cannot put in your yard you’re under somebody else’s authority. What’s the purpose of paying property taxes if someone tells you what you can and cannot put on it?“

A Johnston police officer will begin speaking with residents who are in violation, but the mayor says they are not out writing tickets yet, or towing away cars.

Mayor: “I think someone had called us earlier and said we were giving out tickets. There were no tickets.“ We’re not a city that just believes in issuing the tickets, before trying to discuss the information with the citizens.“

Weaver: “I don’t see nothing wrong with you letting your own automobile sit in your yard period.“

Weaver might not agree with it, but he’ll continue his hobby…even if that means re-arranging things in the front yard.

The mayor says no tickets have been written just yet. That officer is still issuing verbal warnings.

Recently, the town council looked at throwing out that 45-day grace period, and allowing those cars to be parked permanently. But the council decided to keep the original ordinance in place.

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