Southampton Village, NY: Auto Repair on Residential Property (2026)

Article V of Chapter 82 governs vehicles in this condition. Section 82-24 defines a JUNK MOTOR VEHICLE as any motor vehicle in an abandoned, discarded, dismantled, partly dismantled, junked, wrecked or similar unsightly condition. The definition names dismantled and partly dismantled vehicles alongside wrecked and junked ones, and it draws no distinction based on whether the owner plans to finish the work.

Section 82-25A makes it unlawful to park, store, place or maintain a junk motor vehicle on any private property within the village unless it is parked, stored, placed or maintained in a completely enclosed building. Subsection B repeats the rule for anyone who causes, permits or allows the vehicle to be kept there, so the property owner is covered as well as the person who left the vehicle. Subsection C exempts a motor vehicle temporarily stored on premises lawfully used for a motor vehicle service station or motor vehicle repair shop use in compliance with the Village Zoning Code.

The zoning chapter draws the line between a shop and a house. Section 116-2 defines a repair garage as a building, other than a private garage, used for adjustment, painting, replacement of parts or other repair of motor vehicles or parts thereof, whether or not accessory or incidental to another use. A private garage is a building used for storage of motor vehicles owned and regularly used by or on behalf of the owner or tenant of the lot, and only for a purpose accessory to the permitted use of the lot. The home occupation definition in the same section allows no mechanical or electrical equipment except customary household equipment. For a repair garage, § 116-14D requires sufficient parking spaces for all vehicles stored or being serviced at any one period of time, plus a minimum of 5 additional spaces.