Darien May Target Commercial Vehicles Outside Homes

DARIEN, IL – Darien is considering a crackdown on certain types of vehicles and equipment outside houses.

The city says it has identified 40 to 50 properties with such things.

The effort would not apply to those with work trucks and vans, according to the city.

At this week's City Council meeting, Darien official Dan Gombac gave an example: A plumber can have a van with signage and ladder racks.

However, Gombac said the city is looking to prohibit homeowners from having more than one commercial vehicle outside.

Other types of vehicles and equipment that could be banned outside homes are semitrucks, buses, military vehicles, Bobcats and wood chippers.

"If a snowplow is sitting by itself in the driveway with no vehicle attached to it, that would be a violation," said Gombac, the city's municipal services director.

The same would go for construction materials, he said.

The city, Gombac said, has received complaints about school buses in driveways overnight.

"Obviously, it's not a home business," he said. "Those are the types of things we're looking at."

The city would refrain from sending notices of violation if prohibited vehicles and equipment cannot be seen from the right-of-way, Gombac said.

However, neighbors could report violations to the city and let city staff take photos from their properties, he said.

The city's code enforcement, he said, seeks a friendly approach.

"We want to make sure we ask people to comply," he said. "At the same time, this has been driven by residents across the city."

On Monday, the City Council's Municipal Services Committee plans to take the public's feedback on proposed regulations.

The meeting is at 6 p.m. at City Hall.