LAKEVILLE— The Lakeville Select Board charted a plan of action at its Monday, Aug. 12 meeting to address what Building Commissioner Nate Darling called the “most egregious” potential violation of the town’s unregistered vehicles bylaw. 

The Board received a complaint for what some have estimated to be between 50 to 100 unregistered vehicles on a 1.61 acre lot located at 160 Bedford Street. The lot is owned by JH Taylor Realty Corp. 

Select Board Vice Chair Lia Fabian recently visited the property and said, “because of what I saw, I’d like to make a motion if that’s alright.”

Fabian asked that a letter be sent out ordering the property owner to remove all unregistered, uninsured and “ungaraged” vehicles, as per the town’s bylaw, or provide proof of registration of those vehicles within 21 days. 

The letter would serve to warn the owner that the town would take enforcement action if deadlines are not met, which may include payment of fines of up to $300 per day.   

The town’s bylaw states that residents can have no more than one unregistered or uninsured vehicle on a piece of property unless the vehicle(s) are in a garage or other enclosed structure or unless permitted by the Select Board.

Several members questioned whether sending a mandate as opposed to just a warning as a first response was too drastic a measure. 

Select Board Member Brian Day said he felt sending out the mandate was “skipping due process” since this is the first time the complaint has come before the board and questioned whether the property owner was even aware of the potential violation. 

“I think a warning is absolutely necessary,” said Day. 

Day suggested a warning be sent to the property owner informing them they have committed a potential violation with a copy of the town’s bylaw.

Building Commissioner Nate Darling said however that granting a period of 21 days would be sufficient warning and sending the letter would be a good “starting point” to getting vehicles off the property. 

This is probably “one of the most egregious possible violations of this bylaw that I’ve seen,” he said. 

He said the town is “also starting to consider the environmental impacts” caused by the abundance of vehicles on the lot. 

According to Tim and Tara Wynn, whose property abuts the lot, there are between “50 and 100” vehicles on the property. 

Tara Wynn said “it’s more than just unregistered cars, it’s tractor trailers, boats, its shipping containers” that are on the parcel. 

“The activity that could be going on over there could be anything, I have no idea what’s in these tractor trailers. It’s scary,” stated Tim Wynn. 

Wynn said according to a police report, there is a lot of activity of cars driving in and out of the lot at night. “That tells me there is a business being run without a business license,” he claimed. 

“If you read the police report, it’s horrifying. These people are 150 feet away from my girls,” Wynn said. 

Darling said there is uncertainty about whether the property is zoned for residential or business. In order to identify whether there has been a violation, the zoning district would have to be identified, he said. 

The Board voted to have the letter, with a copy of town bylaw, delivered by the police. Upon receipt of the documentation, the property owner has 21 days to remove the vehicles from the property.