Tire fight in the Town of Marion

Marion, N.Y. (WROC) — Theresa Keyser calls herself an avid recycler and crafter.

Recently, she was inspired to build off to the side of her house in Marion, Wayne County an elevated garden bed made of used tires.

“I was thinking if I could keep something out of the dump and also make an art piece and also have flowers here it would just make everything better,” Keyser said.

She says her neighbor didn’t agree and complained to the town.

That’s when she found out the town code, when it comes to tires is, as Marion Town Supervisor Summer Johnson says, cut and dried.

“The current law states black and white no used tires at all, none. There’s no quantity, there’s no type, no style. No definition for the word accumulation,” Johnson said.

This means, as written, Johnson says, even tire swings aren’t allowed.

“I’ve never heard of a rural town just banning tire swings, sorry good old days, you’re gone,” Keyser said.

Johnson and her team worked on an amendment to the law that would allow small and simple uses of old tires, while still banning a collection that could be deemed a junk pile and pose a danger to the community should that pile catch fire.

That amendment was voted down on Monday.

“I have certain town board members who don’t want to see it go through, they say zero, no tires at all should be allowed, used are used tires,” Johnson said.

Johnson said while she has larger priorities on her plate, she does plan to push for an amendment again.

In the meanwhile, Keyser says she’s left with no choice.

“I suppose I give up,” she said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.