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22 <br />on the front of the property to be their residence. They continue to <br />live there. Under their proposed rezoning, this portion of the'six acre <br />parcel which fronts on the public road, will remain residential. <br />The impetus for this rezoning came in October of 1991, when Mr. <br />Combs received a letter from the Orange County Planning Department <br />stating that he was operating an automobile storage and repair business <br />on the property in violation of Orange County's zoning ordinance. He <br />has been informed that one anonymous telephone compliant had been made. <br />Mr. Combs has not been informed of and is not aware of any other <br />complaints concerning the use of the property. <br />To meet Orange County's concerns, Mr. Combs did a number of <br />things. He had over two - hundred cars removed from the property. This <br />was done in December of 1991 at a time when demand for these cars was <br />low, and he received approximately $7,500.00 less than if he had waited. <br />He also applied for a home occupation permit on November 11, 1991 to <br />allow car repair at the building on the property behind his residence. <br />Mr. Combs had previously received a building permit from Orange County <br />to construct this building. <br />The home occupation permit has not been acted on at this time. <br />The issue of storage of cars was heard by the Hoard of Adjustment on <br />February 10, 1992. It was Mr. Combs' contention that the storage of <br />cars could be allowed under Article 11 of the zoning ordinance as a <br />valid non - conforming use since the property had been used for this <br />purpose since prior to the adoption of zoning for all of Bingham <br />Township, including the property in 1981. At the hearing, a number of <br />witnesses testified in favor of Mr. Combs. They included persons who <br />had first -hand knowledge that cars had been stored on the property at <br />the time that zoning became effective in 1981, and neighbors who stated <br />their support for Mr. Combs and his use of the property. No one spoke <br />in opposition to Mr. Combs. <br />The Hoard appeared very sympathetic to Mr. Combs, and it was <br />stated by the Chairman that it appeared that the property had been used <br />to store cars at the time when zoning became effective, and that Mr. <br />Combs should be able to continue this use. Since the County has the <br />authority to rezone property to EC -5 to correct situations it was <br />unaware of at the time zoning is adopted, it was suggested that Mr. <br />P <br />