From: M. Thirtyseven (m37greenbeast@hotmail.com)
Date: Sat Dec 13 2003 - 07:25:40 PST
No multi axle trucks on streets at any time.. guess nobodys gonna be moving
in or out of your town with a large moving truck anytime soon eh? Grocers
will just love to trek to the village limits to pick up stock too...
>From: "Bill & Bonnie Prestin" <bprestin@chartermi.net>
>To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
>Subject: [MV] some background on: Is this the land of the free??
>Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2003 01:21:18 -0500
>
>Ok, here are the particulars for those of you who are interested. The town
>(Village) I live in is less than 2000 people. There were two ordinance
>sections I had questions about, and ask the council. Here they are:
>
>40.03 Sec. 3.1 Parking of vehicles greater than (two) axles that are not
>owned by the village is prohibited on all paved streets and village owned
>parking lots. The council may permit and designate parking at the
>aforementioned locations by resolution.
>
>40.07 Large over the road trucks: prohibited in residential areas. Sec. 9.
>the operation of large double bottom trucks, 16 wheel trucks, all semi-
>tractor trailer trucks, and all other large over the road vehicles are
>prohibited on residential streets of the village, at all times, and signs
>shall be erected on the effective residential streets.
> The use of these large trucks is prohibited unless they are emergency
>vehicles, repair and service vehicles, repair vehicles for public
>utilities,
>and / or moving and delivery vehicles.
>
>Here is how the meeting went. I had previously filled out the form so I
>could speak at the meeting. Each council member had a copy. On the form I
>said:
>"Bill Prestin, Main street, seeking a vote for an exception to the
>proposed
>ordinance 40.03 & 40.07 for licensed historic vehicles."
>
>I made out a handout showing two photos of my truck in the previous 4th of
>July parade and attached a copy of the definition of "historic vehicles"
>from my states Secretary of state(the licensing office in Michigan) to show
>how the use of "historic vehicles" is restricted to events and club
>activities. Each council member also got a copy of these,
>
>The meeting goes like this: I will write these off the copy of minutes I
>have from the meeting I attended. I'll skip the extra stuff:
>
>1) call to order.
>2) They approve the meeting minutes from the previous meeting
>3) Roll call
>4)safety protocol (I don't know what this is)
>5) Public comment, time limit of 5 minutes each.
>Then I said this: (I had typed it earlier, so as to be prepared)
>"I came tonight because I had some questions about proposed ordinance 40.03
>& 40.07. Can you tell me how they would be applied and if they would apply
>to my vehicles? What I have is: two antique trucks with more than two
>axles.
>One is a 1952 Studebaker, the other is a 1953 Diamond T. They are both
>licensed as Michigan Historical vehicles. I show them in car shows and
>drive
>them in parades. * See attached flyer from the Michigan secretary of state*
>
>If these don't apply to me, great! Can it be documented in the minutes and
>can I have a copy?
>If they do apply I would like to ask for an exception for Licensed,
>Michigan
>Historic Vehicles. As I am concerned that I will no longer be able to
>pursue
>my hobby with my son.
>
>:Here is where they said: "they do apply". and "why would we give an
>exception to just one person."
>:Here is where I pointed out that: "it would not be for just one person but
>for everyone with a licensed historic vehicle with more than two axles."
>:Then they said "they could not do that, it could be thousands, well maybe
>hundreds of people" (I am quoting here)
>:Here is where I pointed out that "I doubt that there will be a sudden
>surge
>in the numbers of historic vehicles with more than two axles roaming the
>village streets" (I couldn't help myself)
>Then they said "We cannot make an exception, as the parking ordinance is
>to
>address a safety issue with large vehicles parallel parking on the streets"
>and the driving on residential streets ordinance " is because the streets
>are not constructed to handle that much weight"
>
>The brother of my neighbor, also a council member said:
>"As I read the rules I don't think you should even own vehicles of that
>size
>on residential property. We will have to approach the Zoning Committee at
>the next meeting and see if you will be required to get rid of them."
>
>About that time my 5 minutes were up. I had the impression, all in all,
>that
>their concept was "how dare you tiny insignificant person come here and
>question our all knowing and godlike decisions" (I was very polite about
>the
>whole thing.)
>
>They then went on to financial matters,
>
>After the financial stuff they said:
>"NEW BUSINESS"
>1)"Second reading and adoption of proposed ordinance # 03-02, street &
>parking regulations"
>
>And then that was it. It was the law.
>
>What kind of surprised me, is that they did not actually read the
>ordinance.
>They just said. "second reading" and that was it. The only reason I knew
>what the ordinance was, is because I had a copy of the paper. There was no
>handout for the public as far as I could see. And I was the only person of
>the three people in public attendance who even cared enough to comment.
>
>Also:
>I also have a copy of the rule books, though they are now out of date. I
>always follow the rules but Have skirted close enough to the edges that I
>think they might not like me. The problem is that "He must be crazy, he has
>that huge garage and those army trucks"!!!
>
>This is interesting too: while I was building the garage I got a registered
>letter from the building inspector saying that I could not have a business
>in the garage. I think the council member neighbor next door (who is a
>business owner) was afraid that was my plan. I then got another letter
>saying they thought I might have hooked up to city sewer without permission
>and would shut off my water unless I let them come and inspect. I sent them
>a letter in return saying they had to come and inspect, and that I wanted a
>letter in return saying I had made no violations. They did inspect,
>and
>there were no violations, but I never did get my letter.
>
>Bill
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Bill & Bonnie Prestin" <bprestin@chartermi.net>
>To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
>Sent: Friday, December 12, 2003 8:20 PM
>Subject: [MV] Is this the land of the free??
>
>
> > I live on Main street, in a small town (Village) just off I75 in
> > Michigan. My lot size is 75 ft. wide by 160 ft deep. I own a 2 1/2 ton
>1952
> > Studebaker(M342) and a 5 ton 1953 Diamont T(M51)
> >
> > I built a very large garage to house my trucks. In fact it
>approached
> > the maximum height allowed for "accessory structures" in our town which
>was
> > 25 ft tall. My garage is 24 ft. eight inches tall.
> > I also maxed out the square feet of coverage rule on my lot which
> > allows for 25% coverage. I have 24.98% coverage. My garage is 34 ft.
>wide
> > by 46 ft long.
> > My neighbor is one of the 5 council members in our town. Her
>brother,
> > who also lives on main street, is another of the five council members.
>My
> > neighbor was not happy at all about the size of my garage. So they made
>an
> > amendment to the allowed height of accessory structures. The new maximum
> > height allowed is 17 ft. six inches tall. luckily my garage was already
> > done.
> >
> > I recently saw in the paper (you have to read the fine print) that
>there
> > was a proposed ordinance to restrict all vehicles with more than two
>axles
> > from driving on any street in town (excepting main street) lucky me, I
>live
> > on main street. But the ordinance also restricts vehicles with more than
>two
> > axles from parking on all streets in town including main street.
> > Now, my trucks are stored in my garage at all times. In fact I only
>get
> > one of them out, about 10-12 times a year. They are also licensed and
> > insured as "historic" vehicles.
> > Now occasionally, when family comes up to visit, I will get one
>out
> > and give the kids rides around the block, stopping in the parallel
>parking
> > in front of my house to let the kids swap out & take turns. I also use
>my
> > trucks in the local 4th of July parade. This new ordinance would prevent
>me
> > from doing both of these things.
> > So I thought I would go to the meeting and talk to them about it. To
>say
> > anything at our towns council meetings you have to get on the agenda. So
>I
> > filled out the form the required week ahead of time. At the meeting, I
>ask
> > If they could make an exclusion to the ordinance for licensed "historic
> > vehicles". They said "we can't make an exclusion for just one person."
>I
> > said " No I don't mean just me, it would be anyone with a historic
>vehicle
> > with more than two axles." They said "that could be thousand of
>vehicles"
> > "Doing that would defeat the purpose of the ordinance"
> > Then they told me that they don't think I should be allowed to
>keep
> > trucks of that size on residential property in the village, and they
>were
> > going to approach the zoning board to ask If they could make me remove
>them.
> > I am not really sure what action I should take? Should I wait
>until
> > I get a letter saying I have to get rid of my trucks? Or is there
>something
> > I could do pro-actively. It makes me wonder what is becoming of "The
>land
>of
> > the free"
> >
> > Bill
> >
> >
> >
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> >
>
>
>
>===Mil-Veh is a member-supported mailing list===
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>To reach a human, contact <ack@mil-veh.org>
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