Sparse crowd shows up at meeting over proposed salvage yard

By Tracy Moss

DANVILLE – Bryant Industries on Wednesday addressed the concerns of six local residents regarding the company's plans for a new auto-parts salvage area.

The salvage area would be on Bryant's property west of Danville.

Bryant officials hosted the meeting to communicate with neighbors about the project and their current scrap-metal and recycling operation and look for some common ground.

"We're here to listen and work toward an amicable solution," said Erik Plotner, chief financial officer for Bryant Industries.

One neighbor, Jeanne Scott, has been outspoken against the Bryant plan for expansion, speaking at a zoning meeting in October, when Bryant was seeking a special permit from the city to continue with its salvage-yard project.

Bryant Industries plans to take the special-permit issue back before the city council for approval at its Jan. 20 meeting.

Scott, whose main complaint about the project is that it creates noise, attended Wednesday's meeting but said little.

After the meeting, she said her group of residents, those who signed a petition in October against the expansion, told her to attend, but to tell Bryant officials that they would do their talking at the city council meeting on Jan. 20.

Plotner told Scott he was disappointed that her group did not attend the meeting.

Other residents asked questions, but most were about the company's current operation, not the planned expansion.

Plotner and Brent Richards, general manager of Bryant Industries, explained their vehicle salvage-yard process, detailing why they want to store inoperable vehicles on 3 or 4 acres of existing property just east of their current operation on Warrington Avenue.

Richards assured the neighbors it would be a while before the level of activity the site enjoyed last summer returned. because the price of scrap metal has dropped so significantly in recent months.

Plotner said if the city doesn't approve the special permit, Bryant officials are already discussing other ways to utilize that piece of property, including putting a warehouse there or a can- recycling operation.

The planning and zoning commission approved the special use permit by a 7-1 vote, but the council must grant final approval and a vote there is expected on Jan. 20.

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