POULSBO — The so-called “used car lot” at the Stottlemyer Road and Bond Road intersection is diminishing in size, thanks to Kitsap County Code Enforcement.

The county has decided to contact all the owners of the vehicles on the property and ask them to move their cars within 24 hours. If not, the owners will be cited a daily fee of $513 until they are removed. Code enforcement officers will check on the property regularly to make sure it stays empty. If new cars show up, those vehicle owners will get call from code enforcement and will be asked to remove the car or face the daily fine.

Within the past week, 20 owners have been contacted, said code enforcement officer Steve Mount, and the number of vehicles has started to decline.

“It actually seems to be having an effect,” Mount said. “That’s probably what it’s going to have to take.”

The property is owned by Kingston resident Bill Arness, who said in July the vehicles weren’t “hurting anything.” Residents hoping to sell their cars, boats and RVs leave them there to catch the eye of passing motorists and while Arness hasn’t given permission for people to do so, he hasn’t tried to stop them, either.

The property is zoned rural residential, not commercial, meaning that cars cannot be sold from the property according to zoning ordinances, Mount said. Since November 2003, the county has been requesting Arness to ask vehicle owners to remove their cars and restrict access to the property.

In March 2004, Arness requested an explanation of the violation in writing for his attorney.

In September, Arness’ lawyer William Broughton and Kitsap County deputy prosecuting attorney Phil Bacus agreed that the cars being for sale on the property are a violation of the county ordinance, however, they disagree as to who is responsible for the violation — Arness or the vehicle owners, Mount explained.

So far, no court date has been set, but briefs on the case are due on Nov. 12, when a hearing will be scheduled.