Town asks for repair shop clean-up

Photo: Peter L. McGuire

CLEAN UP —  The town has requested that Daniel Godbout, owner of Advantage Auto Sales, clean up junk parts, tires and unserviceable vehicles from his property, located at the base of Paris Hill. Some residents have complained to the town, calling Godbout's property an eyesore.

PARIS — Complaints from residents about the appearance of an auto sales and service shop at the base of Paris Hill Road resulted in an inquiry from Paris Code Enforcement Officer Jerry Samson if the owner could clean up his property.

Daniel Godbout, the owner of Advantage Auto Sales, says he has already started to remove junk parts and tires from the property.

During a board of selectmen meeting in early September, several residents complained that the collection of used vehicles and vehicle parts on the property was an eyesore.

Janet Jamison said the property looked "hideous," and suggested that the vehicles could be leaking fluid into the Little Androscoggin River.

In a courtesy notice to Godbout, dated September 18, Samson says the town received complaints about the property and requests a clean-up.

"I have been asked to inquire as to whether you could remove junk parts, tires and unserviceable vehicles from the lot," Samson writes.

"I am not referring to the used vehicles you have for sale or waiting for repairs; just the other items that make for an unsightly situation leading up to Paris Hill."

On Thursday, September 27, Samson said that because the garage is an active car sales and repair shop, regulations determining what the owner can and can't have on the property is "a grey area."

"We're trying to get a voluntary clean-up I guess," Samson said.

Responding to environmental concerns, Samson said he could find no evidence of leaking fluids or loose batteries at the property during a brief visit in September.

Samson said that it was the first complaint he's ever heard about the garage. He noted that several people have pointed out to him that the garage had the same appearance 30 years ago.

On Monday, Godbout said he was in the process of cleaning up the loose auto parts and tires from his property.

Godbout said that, as a licensed used-car dealership, he was permitted to have vehicles he bought and sold on the property, but agreed the loose parts needed to be removed.

He said that he had already begun cleaning the property, as part of his fall clean-up, before receiving the letter from the town.

"It's something that needs to be done and I'm not disputing that," Godbout said. "It's time to clean it up."

According to Godbout, this is the first time he has received a complaint from the town since he bought the garage in 2003.