Parking vintage semi at your house.

[68-f-model]

Have any of you had issues  with zoning and being told you aren’t allowed to have your classic Mack in the back yard?

I got the notice from the zoning officer in the mail yesterday and I am trying to figure out a way around it. 

It is to tall to fit in my garage or my barn. 

Besides taking the cab off and rolling it inside in two pieces. 

Any ideas? 🤔

 

[hatcity]

• a very tall fence?

[Hobert62]

If its licensed and insured it shouldn't matter should it?  My wife's the only person I get a hard time from. 

Edited May 4, 2018 by Hobert62

[Jeff M]

Looks like a neighbor complained.  They'll never complain directly to you, that's for sure.  Best of luck.

[66dc75]

I don't know Michigan law but if you are registered with antique plates in Ma., it is no longer legally a commercial vehicle, that might help in fighting them. Is it registered?

Good luck.

[yarnall]

I got notice about my trucks that were outside.  Licensed trucks can be outside in my municipality but not non-licensed.  Maybe they will be ok with a fence.   Go to talk to them. See if they will work with you.  Mike. 

[Jamaican Bulldog]

These laws can be tedious especially when they can vary from town to town in the same county. I live in Westchester NY and no matter how big your driveway is you are not allowed to have pickup truck with commercial plates, small trailer or even a jet ski on a trailer in your yard. In many cases the local authorities turn a blind eye unless someone calls because they know the laws are dumb. When I had a small trailer to transport dirt bikes, someone from the town showed up and said the only way around it was to put up screens so it could not be seen. He admitted he had to show up because someone called. I put them up and called for him to come see and he never came back to look.

[Dirtymilkman]

A big blue tarp. 

 

[NJ TRUCK]

In my town here in NJ, no commercial vehicles on residential property. IDK if you register it antique, probably would still get some issues from neighbors. Have to remember, we might think the old trucks are cool, but most neighbors don't.

[Freightrain]

Went through this 15 yrs ago after I moved.  My zoning says "no semi-trucks outside on less then 1 acre".  A semi truck is "not a car, pickup, boat, camper".  That narrows it down pretty well.  I went to zoning, tried for variance.   No good.   They gave me a year(since I just moved in) to do something with it.   I figured it was a neighbor that turned me in, but I have lots of duplex(rentals) so they come and go like water.  I think likely a township truck saw it?   Anyway, I had to cut the wall out of my garage and put a barn door in to be able to get it inside.  It fits, as you have seen.  A tarp or fence was NOT an option.

There was NO getting around it.  I showed where I parked it, it has historical tags on it, blah, blah, blah.   Nope, no good, nothing got it away from their "semi truck" description.  I do leave it out occasionally and don't worry much.   Any of my adjoining neighbors have no issue with it, as they are all long time residents.

Unless you can show there are others in your area with trucks and can convince them they have to take care of all them first?  It's a stretch.

Edited May 5, 2018 by Freightrain

[Brocky]

I got lucky I guess.. Bought this ex-dairy farm before I got into trucks, Have enough big barns to hide my Diamond T 921 and Brockway 358. Enclosed one of the pole barns into a 4 bay garage for my little DT 201 and F-600.. Zoning is pretty laid back here in South Carolina, But IF someone should complain there are several "Redneck Front Yards" for them to work on first!!

[scoofa]

try a fabric / tent garage

[BillyT]

Hernando county Florida doesn't permit any commercial vehicle over 5000lbs in any residential zoned area.When I moved here in 92 I was still driving OTR and I've been thrown out of every good parking place near my home! Truck trailer or any combination thereof! I live in a moderately upscale middle class neighborhood. Half acre zoning. I retired in 2008 and it seems to have gotten looser. There is a guy who parks a 53 ft dry van and 3 axle tractor in plain view, a deputy lives in the same house wink wink! They keep up the property so I don't care! There are a couple drivers from big truckload carriers who bring their tractors home on layovers. As near as I can tell they let you alone unless someone complains. In Florida I'm told you can register a "hobby truck" as a "camper" as long as it's not used commercially. No CDL required. Only fair as the 200000 dollar 40 ft campers can park legally here! How is your F model registered? Do you use the gooseneck commercially? Or just for hobby use? I think Harbor freight sells an inexpensive metal framed sheet plastic garage that would hold your tractor. A guy in my neighborhood that has a big camper has one.

[Superdog]

Tell them to go straight to Hell.I don't care what you do,just DO NOT give in,they want you to be scared and give up without a fight. I fought with zoning for 5 years,met every demand they placed on me,license,fence,etc.,they still wanted me gone,took me to court and I beat them,still here 14 years later. Just think where we'd be today if our leaders and troops just gave in without putting up a fight. Quote the Constitution to them,they hate that too.

 

[tjc transport]

about 15 years ago i had a new neighbor move in next door. within a year she turned in to the neighbor from hell. nothing was good enough. and she complained about everything. the straw that broke the camels back was the day she complained to the town council about "the junk yard of non running abandoned vehicles next door"

lucky for me i was home the next day when the police, zoning board officials, code enforcement officials,  and two council members showed up, along with 2 wreckers to tow away all the "abandoned" vehicles. 

when i asked what was going on they started to explain. i said oh, that truck? handed one of the cops the registration and insurance card, got in the truck , started it up, and pulled it out onto the road. 

and proceeded to do the same thing with 7 other trucks and cars.

when the asked about the one truck i did not go near, i told the zoning officer " i am allowed one non registered or insured vehicle, and that is it. it runs, but i can not pull it out on the road because it is not registered or insured.  i started it up, and moved it forward and back into it's spot. then parked all the others.

with nothing they could do, they had to pay the two wreckers for nothing, and left. never had any issues with the town after that, and the witch moved out a year later. 

[68-f-model]

Thanks guys,  lots of good ideas.  

As far as more info.  I own 2.5 acres “the entire middle of a village block”  so I have a ton of neighbors all around my back yard. 

I haven’t used the semi or trailer since I moved here over a year ago. I just fire it up once a month or so and do a loop around the back yard. 

It isn’t currently registered but I am leaning towards a vintage or historical type plate. 

I talked to the zoning officer,  he seems slightly accommodating.  I think I just have to get it agreed that isn’t being used for commercial purposes and is basically a really short RV.  

 

Here is the zoning I am up against:

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 5, 2018 by 68-f-model

[68-f-model]

I think it is crap they are trying to dictate what I can and can’t even put in my barn.  

[tjc transport]

well if the truck is registered as historic, or non commercial personal use, it does not fall under the commercial truck ruling and is allowed. 

[Amos V.]

Hello, Reading their Ordinance and what was Codified as law is vague. But, The advice of a tarp is perfect, except if you use the truck on a daily basis. That inconveniences no one but you. However, There is a Supreme Court ruling that prohibits Municipalities (GOVERNMENT) from prosecuting vehicle owners whom park their trucks on City streets, namely; At home, or store their vehicles on their own properties. However, The blue tarp option may fall under your State's (Search and Seizure Law's). Pa has an unreasonal search and seizure law requiring probable cause and a warrant. Pa's laws are very different than yours though. They use to issue parking tickets to CMV's within City limits. But, if the vehicle is NOT activly being used to transport commodities or trade for compensation it was deemed NOT to be a CMV. But, Cities have designated areas for parking of Commercial vehicles and they are changing those laws. But, a commercial vehicle in Pa is NOT solely defined by the vehicle registration. Hence, an Antique/Historic registration would normally exempt one that possesses said registration. However, PA got clever and designates a Commercial vehicle by it's GVWR. So, you would have to check what your State's,  Motor Vehicle Code Law's definition of a Commercial Motor Vehicle. But, reading the Ordinance, your DRIVEWAY, and PRIVATE PERSONAL PROPERTY is not a Street, nor is the PUBLIC allowed access throughout your property, therefore your vehicle does not fall under that particular section or anywhere else from what I read. A street is public access. Your private property is not. I will check and see if I can find the Supreme Court Ruling and post it for you. 

[68-f-model]

I am going to try and get a meeting set up with the zoning officer and see if I can nail down an exact resolution to the situation.

My plan of attack is try and get it registered historic first and convince the village it is a minimal use vehicle no different than an  RV.

If that fails,  I move to plan b and either remove the cab to fit it into my current barn or put up a 20x 28x 12 addition to the north end to house the Mack.

They can attempt to tell me I can have a "commercial" vehicle in my barn, but I think that the out of sight out of mind would work against any complaining neighbors.

 

The property lay out isn't ideal for neighbors. "I have a few"

[Hayseed]

A six foot high Fence.. If they can't see it? They can't complain about It!

 

[Hobert62]

Do what Trump said, build that wall!

[70mackMB]

31 minutes ago, Hobert62 said:

Do what Trump said, build that wall!

And have the neighbors pay for it!!   .....Hippy

[Hobert62]

In all reality it's sad that neighbors can control what you do own your own property.     I can see complaints if your turning the place into a "junkyard" but if things are parked neat and orderly it's b.s.   It seams ranchhopper is going through some of the same issues.  

[Truck Shop]

                              A friend here in town went through the same thing. He got a historical vehicle plate which removed the commercial problem and painted for personal conveyance on both sides. 

                              And there is no tonnage because it's for show purpose only. It's just a big vehicle that can't haul anything. 1951 Freightliner C.O.E.

 

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