ASHLAND CITY, Tenn. -- Companies decide to close every day, but it's not every day that TDEC threatens to shut a business down.

Video: Violations Could Force Tire Disposal Business Out

But that’s what happened to Barr Tire Company in Cheatham County. Owner Lee Barr said he's doing nothing wrong, but neighbors have been complaining about his tire disposal service for years.

The Barr family has stored tires on a piece of land for the past 40 years. The family has a landfill permit that allows them to resell some and destroy the rest, but government regulators have a long list of violations in an order showing that the Barrs should finally be shut down.

"It means the livelihood of my family, my daughter’s family and my son’s family," Barr said.

The order from the state Department of Environment and Conservation outlines years of violations.

Some of the problems include operating without a permit, improperly storing tires, maintenance of the facility and too many tires on the property. In 2003, lightning caused a fire and ignited hundreds of tires.

Neighbors like Keith Kirkland said the work done at the site stirs up mosquitoes.

"Yeah, it seems like when they get in there moving stuff around or hauling stuff in, it seems like it stirs them up and they all kind of fly over here," he said.

State inspector Al Majors delivered the state-issued order to Barr on Tuesday.

Majors said that after years of violating state code, "This is it. We have tried for years and years to assist and instruct, even enforce on the facility. We seem to end up at the same place."

"We are a country people, and we do things sort of in a country way, you know. And, we may have done something that upset somebody uptown, OK? And I guess that's what it is, ma'am," Barr said.

The most recent violation involved the dumping of unknown materials. A piece of Barr’s land was tested by the state for petroleum contamination, but the results were negative.

Barr has 30 days to appeal the state's decision or to close, and he said he plans to appeal.

On Monday night, the Cheatham County Commission voted to support the state's efforts to close Barr Tire Company.

Mayor Bill Orange said the dump is something that he's been concerned about ever since taking office 10 years ago.