MARK WAITE / PVT The Two Brothers salvage yard won't be reopening if a Pahrump Regional Planning Commission recommendation is followed. Advertisement

A junkyard visible to the east from State Highway 160 while driving north of Roadrunner Road, won't be allowed to reopen if a Pahrump Regional Planning Commission recommendation is followed.

The RPC voted Wednesday that owners Oscar Porter Gonzalez and Regina Ortiz Gonzalez had let Two Brothers salvage yard sit unused for more than six months, which wouldn't allow them to be grandfathered into the new zoning regulations.

The salvage yard is located at 1961 W. Garnet Road, in the Mountainview Estates subdivision in what many people consider to be Johnnie. It's barely inside the northern boundaries of the Pahrump Regional Planning District.

While proponents argued the junkyard is in a remote location, the Gonzalezes were removing junked vehicles from town streets and the closure would affect their livelihood. Salvage yards aren't popular in anybody's neighborhood.

Gonzalez requested a master plan amendment and zone change to change 2.5 acres from low density residential land use to heavy industrial land use.

Only Ohio Street is maintained by the county, the planners report states. The

use of the property as a salvage yard predated the adoption of the zoning ordinance July 1, 2004. However, Gonzalez hasn't operated the salvage yard since 2003.

The planning department suggested that if Gonzalez was allowed to continue operating the business, he needed to at least remove junk cars from adjacent U.S. Bureau of Land Management property.

RPC member Carrick "Bat" Masterson said the owners simply don't have a license to operate an auto salvage yard.

The main proponent of the Gonzalez' application was RPC member Jacob Skinner.

"They're in a pretty rural area," he said. "If you look at the map provided to us, you can see that. I really don't think they're affecting anybody. If you deny them, if you look at their statements of income, we might be cancelling out their chance of income. Being on the outside of town would be a pretty good spot for a junkyard."

Rene Morales, co-owner of Mr. Clean Construction Cleanup, translating for the Spanish-speaking owners, said the community needs another junkyard. He said the couple spends a lot of time and money to maintain the site.

"No one lives out in that area," Morales said. "I don't think anybody is going to develop soon, not within 10, 15, 20 years."

RPC members inquired whether he could be allowed to continue operating.

RPC member Mark Kimball asked about the life span of a conditional use permit. Planner Steve Osborne said a CUP would expire in three years, but that only governs new construction. However, he conceded there weren't likely to be people building there right away.

Testimony also indicated the owners don't have well or septic service.

Neighbors Francis and Patricia Lee, 1721 W. Garnet Road, expressed concerns about possible contamination from flooding runoff carrying motor oil, battery fluid and antifreeze. There would also be an increase in truck traffic, causing problems to existing dirt roads, the Lees wrote. Then, they said, the pristine views of Pahrump Valley would be ruined by corrugated metal.

Frank Dix, who owns 2.5 acres on Garnet Street, countered Morales' argument. Dix said he was planning to build his retirement home on that street.

"I don't think you should set aside the residential dreams of people who plan to live up there in favor of a junkyard that looks like it's there illegally and should never have been there in the first place," Dix said. "The fact it's out of town and in a rural area has nothing to do with the fact it's zoned residential."

Dix said he learned it would cost $30,000 to extend electricity to his property. Area property owners have talked about chipping in to pay the cost.

Neighboring property owner Scott Lindsey said, "A junkyard would stick out like a sore thumb."

However, George Vahar said the junkyard was the person's livelihood.

"This is the only business that has gone out and actually helped the town of Pahrump clean up this town because people junk their cars in their back yards. You see it all the time," he said.

Masterson admitted, "it's almost impossible for someone to afford land to be in a proper location for this."