The county has suspended enforcement of its junkyard ordinance, but that doesn't mean county officials are considering scrapping the controversial measure.

Cherokee County Council referred the ordinance to the Cherokee County Planning Commission for further discussion. Cherokee County Building Official Chuck Bobo said he expects the commission to finalize any changes to the ordinance at its August meeting.

The changes in the ordinance include a reduction in the fencing requirement for new junkyards from eight to six feet.

Existing junkyards would have an easier time complying with the new ordinance. The updated ordinance would only require existing junkyard owners to plant a vegetative screen on the section of their property that fronts public roads.

The changes to the ordinance were triggered by a group of junkyard operators who urged council to rescind the ordinance. They claimed it was unfair to single out junkyard operators to regulate.

A year ago, council approved a moratorium on new junkyards and first reading of a proposed ordinance that was drafted by county attorney Joe Mathis.

In November, council unanimously passed final reading of an ordinance that required junkyard owners within two years to erect an 8-foot fence on the portion of their property that fronts public rights-ofway. The ordinance also stipulated that junkyard owners have five years to extend the fence around the entire perimeter of their property.