Recent Edgartown selectmen’s meetings have acquired a running theme — junk.

When residents of Holly Bear Lane came before selectmen shortly before Christmas they complained of a salvage yard in operation at the entrance to the road on property owned by Chris Chambers. This Monday they were back, armed with a list of 10 specific grievances, with accompanying photography and testimonials.

And at the same meeting, attorney Daniel Larkosh issued a progress report on a case currently making its way through the Edgartown District Court, involving a junkyard allegedly in operation on property owned by Robert Sequeira at Dunham’s Corner.

In the case of Holly Bear Lane, once again at issue was the definition of junkyard. The residents attending the meeting were in little doubt about what is at the entrance to the road.

“Mr. Chamber’s business is an eyesore,” said resident Margot Datz, reading from a written statement. “Due to the configuration of the lot, fencing is unable to conceal the contents of his property, in that it is below the main road level. It is impossible for his lot, used as such to comply with residential zoning laws.”

Ms. Datz said that the yard has repercussions for residents beyond the stigma of “being known as the street with the junkyard;” she argued that the yard caused a significant drop in property values on the street.

A letter to selectmen from realtor Caroline Taylor backs her up.

“When I represent a buyer in the purchase of property in Edgartown, I cannot justify encouraging them to purchase in an area that has such a down-and-out feeling at the beginning of the street,” reads the letter. “Yes, the value would be lower by $50,000 to $100,000.”

Building inspector Leonard Jason reiterated his position that Mr. Chambers was not at fault legally.

“He’s not running a junkyard, it doesn’t even begin to look like a junkyard. It’s a yard that’s very messy,” he said.

“He’s running a business on this road,” argued Ms. Datz.

“He’s not. He’s not. He was,” insisted Mr. Jason, adding that Mr. Chambers has made significant efforts to clean up a section of the yard in recent weeks.

Mr. Chambers, who could not be reached for comment yesterday, was cited by the building inspector on Feb. 18 for storage of an unregistered recreational vehicle on the property.

Selectman Arthur Smadbeck asked Mr. Jason to request proof of registration for the boats on the Chambers property. The board offered their thanks but underscored the legal limitations at play in the regulation of messy yards.

Mr. Smadbeck argued that grey areas in the zoning bylaws are open to exploitation by the savvy operator.

“To those people on Holly Bear Lane, that’s a junkyard,” he said after the meeting. “They live there, they see that mess — but it doesn’t have a cash register in the window, he doesn’t have an ad in the paper. And you have to be able to prove it’s a business . . . You can’t compel people to clean up, and our hands are tied by the law.”

In regard to the Dunham’s Corner case, a complaint issued by Mr. Jason and members of the board of health states that Mr. Sequeira is running an illegal junkyard and well-drilling operation. Mr. Sequeira has been requested to provide evidence of progress towards the cleaning process in time for the April 7 court appearance. Mr. Larkosh, the lawyer representing members of Dunham’s Corner, said that he has not yet made a decision on whether to intervene in the case.

“We want it to look like a residential property,” he said, “but we are happy so far with the way it is progressing.”