Pressure up on flea market

HILLSBOROUGH -- The future of the Buckhorn Flea Market and Jockey Lot is still uncertain.

The county's Board of Adjustment agreed Monday with Orange County's findings that the flea market has violated the zoning ordinance.

The market's owners will now appeal that ruling in Superior Court, said Tommy Ellison, one of the owners.

The Board of Adjustment was hearing the owners' appeal after the county's zoning officer determined earlier this year that the flea market had violated the zoning ordinance.

The market has come under increased scrutiny by county officials recently after the county manager called a meeting with several county departments to discuss complaints about traffic snarling the exit ramps to Buckhorn Road off Interstate 40-85.

County officials then drove out to the flea market to inspect it. The zoning officer, a building official and fire marshal found violations.

Monday's hearing focused only on the zoning aspect.

Joyce Moore-Hall, the only Board of Adjustment member to vote against the ruling, told the board she was concerned that the county was just now trying to do something about violations that appear to have taken place during construction in 1985.

"I have a problem that this county has been sitting on this for 20 years," Moore-Hall said.

Moore-Hall said she was concerned also that acknowledging the zoning violation would lead to the county shutting down the market.

John Herrera, a Carrboro alderman, came Monday to tell the board that the flea market is important to the Hispanic community.

"It is the only affordable market for a lot of Hispanic people, which means more food on the table," Herrera said.

He said he has known several immigrants who started selling at the flea market and eventually established their own businesses.

Rosa Solorzano told the board that the market is an important source of income for her family.

"For us Hispanics, the flea market is very important because it's where we get the food we eat so much cheaper than anywhere else," Solorzano said.

Her family sells underwear, caps, socks, gold and silver jewelry, and toys at the market.

Herrera and Solorzano asked that the county and possibly the Buckhorn Flea Market owners help provide an alternative market if the flea market is shut down.