432 CONFERENCE ON NATURAL BEAUTY 



we do have an abundantly beautiful, natural America which must 

 be preserved. 



We must all government, industry, and citizens alike join in 

 efforts to preserve our heritage. Let us plan with careful forethought 

 the vast projects of destruction and construction. Let us use our 

 vast technical resources to stem this tide of blight by proper planning. 

 Let us retain our natural beauty so that succeeding generations are 

 rewarded as we have been. With these thoughts in mind, we ex- 

 amined one area of concern junk autos. 



Auto graveyards are a vital segment of our economic industrial 

 cycle and it is not our intention to legislate these enterprises out of 

 business. Let us realize that they are one of the new social responsi- 

 bilities of the 20th century. 



Public demands for laws, regulations, or controls are rising. They 

 are aimed at auto wreckers who are inconsiderate in the way they 

 handle their business and private property owners who clutter their 

 own property. 



We in Rhode Island hope to set up certain regulatory controls 

 which would bring the auto graveyard into the community cycle as 

 well as the industrial cycle of which it is so vitally a part. I firmly 

 believe that restrictions aimed at concealment and not removal of 

 auto graveyards will bring about a more realistic solution to our 

 problem. 



Let us now examine our recently enacted Rhode Island law that 

 is to take effect August 1, 1965. 



This bill clarifies and extends the regulation and control of auto- 

 mobile junkyards and makes certain violations of its provisions a 

 misdemeanor. 



Automobile junkyards are defined in the bill as places "where one 

 or more unserviceable, discarded, wornout, or junked automobiles, 

 or bodies, engines, tires, parts, or accessories thereof, are gathered 

 together. 55 



This bill provides that no city or town may license a junkyard un- 

 less it is to be operated and maintained entirely within a building or 

 unless it is ( 1 ) more than 600 feet from any State highway, and ( 2 ) 

 more than 300 feet from any park, bathing beach, playground, etc., 

 and ( 3 ) is screened or fenced from view by either natural objects or 

 adequate fencing. Presently existing junkyards having valid licenses 

 pursuant to sections 5-21-1 and 31-5-28 of the general laws on the 

 date of passage, however, will only be subject to the fencing require- 

 ment. 



