In September, commercial vehicles accounted for 15 percent of code violations in Bartlett, making it the fourth top violation in the village.

The zoning ordinance in Bartlett, which has been in place since 1978, states that no trucks or commercial vehicles can be parked on residential property except when located in a garage or a fully enclosed structure. This excludes small pick-up trucks, however, with A and B (8,000 pound) license classifications. In addition, no advertising is allowed on any vehicle at any time.

Community Development Director Jim Plonczynski said community members who use these vehicles have experienced a slowdown in work. As a result, their vehicles are at home more often.

“Because of the economy, they are home more and not on the job,” Plonczynski said. “They can’t pay for the extra storage because they aren’t making the money.”

In a memo to the board, Plonczynski said the slowdown of work has also forced companies to require that vehicles be taken home to allow employees direct access to the job site.

Plonczynski says the problem has slightly increased since fall 2008. Since then, violators have asked to state their case to the village board. As a result, code enforcement officers have been documenting the location of the complaints on commercial vehicles pending on the outcome of the board's discussion.

Ida Schneider stood before the board Oct. 20 and said that after 15 years of living in Amber Grove, she and her husband, Frank, were told in June  he could no longer keep his work vehicle in the driveway.

“They told us to raise our garage,” Schneider said. “We can’t afford that, we would have never bought our house or moved to Bartlett if we knew this law.”

The village told the Schneiders through a letter in August that they had two weeks to remove the lettering from the van. Yet, their employer said it would cost $3,500 to remove. The village now has the option of taking the Schneiders to court.

Village code enforcers suggest commercial vehicle owners use magnetized letters on their vehicles so it can be removed at night or purchase a plain cover magnet to place over the lettering.

At Oct. 20’s village board meeting, trustee Dennis M. Nolan said residents have a right to keep these vehicles out of their residential areas. Trustee John Kavouris, on the other hand, said he doesn’t see the vehicles as intrusive unless it is something like a loaded pick-up truck.

The village staff's research combined with that of the Northwest Municipal Conference survey shows that of the 40 communities in the survey, 24 allow commercial vehicles in residential districts. Of these 24 communities, some have size restrictions that limit vehicles to a "B" plate or 8,000 pounds when in conjunction with a home occupation. Other communities allow larger vehicles up to a "D" plate or 16,000 pounds.

The board asked that the village staff conduct additional research, and an amendment to the ordinance may be considered in the future, Plonczynski said.