Wayne Harrison typed:
"Tim J."

There was a business up here in MA that ran into a similar problem
about 10-12 years ago. After a zoning change, the owner was told
he's have to remove the tires he'd been collecting for more than a
decade because of the fire hazard, about the same number you
mentioned, or go to jail.

. Faced with paying many
hundreds of thousands of dollars he didn't have, he ended up serving
time and losing the business.

whoa, nellie! that would be unconstitutional on more than one
basis, imo. most obviously, the imposition of a criminal penalty
against conduct that was not criminal at the time it was initiated
would be a clear violation of the "ex post facto" clause.

i don't get it. any details on this "prosecution"? news
articles? the guy's name?

The business name was Trant (Steel? Salvage?) in either Brimfield or Palmer,
MA. George Adams is the resident expert in all things local to Western MA,
so he can probably fill us in.

yfitons
wayno(not that i don't believe you--i just think there's something
missing)

It's probably one of my loose screws that finally fell out. I'm sure there's
probably a LOT more to the story that my memory has omitted. Again, I'd bet
good money Mr. Adams or Mr. Gula could fill us in.

old_guy "Well, that's the way *I* remember it!" \old_guy

Good to see you, BTW.
--
TL,
Tim
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http://css.sbcma.com/timj