Bullseye Recycling owner Thomas Glenn III said he’s tired of fighting with the county and would rather spend his time with his family. Photo by Sam Williams	If you’ve ever wondered what happened to the old jail, it’s at Bullseye Recycling. Photo by Jordan Clary

Sept. 25, 2012 — Bullseye Recycling can continue its operations —although it won’t be crushing any more cars and has until the end of the year to come into compliance with all 13 of the conditions included in its use permit, originally issued in 2008.

The Lassen County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved Bullseye’s appeal of a recommendation made by the Lassen County Planning Commission to revoke the company’s use permit at its Tuesday, Sept. 18 meeting.

“I think the whole process is backwards and upside down,” Lassen County District 2 Supervisor Jim Chapman complained. “This is no disrespect to staff and no disrespect to the Glenns either, but I really resent the way the process has been personalized. I think that makes the whole process null and void when we turn it into a personal thing — There’s no question the Glenns have a very personal attitude toward the county, and vice versa, I think the county staff has some very personal attitudes toward the Glenns. Is the public interest being served? It makes it very difficult to sort through all the facts and issues.”

Chapman said his position was to hold those personal animosities aside when making his decision — a part of the process he said he held in contempt.

He said the Glenns admit they’ve made some mistakes, and the county staff’s role should be to help them find solutions to resolve those issues.

Chapman noted Tom Glenn III, a former county employee, had taken an investment of a few thousand dollars and turned it into a $5 million business that provided a much needed service to the community as well as jobs.

Maury Anderson, Lassen County’s director of planning and building services, said the matter was a zoning issue, and Bullseye Recycling was crushing vehicles — an activity not permitted in its commercial zone and outside the activities authorized by its use permit.

District 3 Supervisor Larry Wosick said the company’s use permit allowed it to recycle “all ferrous and non-ferrous metals.”

He said the company was crushing cars to recycle them, and the county staff’s reference to the facility as a dismantler or a wrecking yard was “apparently false.”

Wosick said the company was simply crushing the cars and recycling them — an activity he thought should be permitted. He said the accusation the company was a dismantler or a wrecking yard was “very troubling to me.”

But Anderson said because of the zoning issue, the car crushing discussion was “off the table” and could not be permitted.

Thomas Glenn III, the company’s owner said he didn’t want to argue about the cars anymore, and he was no longer crushing them, but he added he worked with the same company the county landfill uses when it crushes and recycles cars.

Glenn complained he was tired of fighting and had simply “thrown up his hands” after such a lengthy argument with county staff, and he’d rather spend that time with his family.

He said he felt county staff was trying to take away his rights, and that is personal.

District 4 Supervisor Brian Dahle pointed out Glenn might be able to crush cars on a piece of property near the airport.

District 5 Supervisor Jack Hanson said he supported recycling and acknowledged the company’s benefit to the community.

The board unanimously approved Bullseye’s appeal of the planning commission recommendation, but gave the company until Dec. 31 to meet all 13 requirements contained in its original use permit.

Glenn said the company had already complied with 10 of those 13 conditions.

“We want you to be in business,” Chapman said.

Dahle recommended the county staff and the Glenns don’t let things rise to such a personal level in the future because it isn’t healthy for either party.