Truck Owner Fights Commercial Vehicle Crackdown In Dearborn

DEARBORN (WWJ) - If you drive down Cherry Hill Road on Dearborn's west side, it's likely you've seen "the Beast," an affectionate name for the classic 1968 C10 Chevrolet panel wagon parked in the driveway of Peder and Margaret Blohm's home.

According to the Blohms, they received notice that the Beast is now considered a commercial vehicle as part of the city's recent enforcement of the ordinance regulating commercial vehicles parked in residential neighborhoods.

Notice of the violation was posted on the couple's front door and signed by a Building and Safety field inspector, requesting that they contact the inspector as soon as possible.

Peder Blohm said he contacted the city and tried to explain that the vehicle was not a commercial vehicle, and was driven for personal and not commercial use, and displayed at local car cruises and car shows. The inspector insisted it was a commercial vehicle.

Blohm readily admits that the vehicle has colorful graphics for a member-based Web site, MyNewMarketplace.com, that he is part owner of, and which helps to connect buyers and sellers nationwide.

"This is where things get fuzzy," Blohm said.

Blohm said he asked the inspector if he were to purchase a $300,000 Bentley, put graphics on the doors, and keep it parked in his driveway, would it be considered a commercial vehicle. The inspector quickly replied "yes."

When Blohm questioned if the size of the graphics made it a commercial vehicle, the inspector insisted that the size didn't matter.  Blohm ended the conversation after the inspector said that if Blohm continued to park the vehicle in his driveway, the city would fine him and he'd be taken to court.

Since then, the Blohms have received a notice of violation and were given "two days to remove an illegal vehicle from the property."

Since then, he's applied to the city Traffic Commission for an exception, which is pending. Blohm said all of his neighbors have signed a petition urging the city to approve it.

In a Sept. 16 article in the Dearborn Press and Guide, Police Commander Jimmy Solomon said the city's recent crackdown  was sparked by citizen complaints of large commercial vehicles being parked in residential areas.

"They tell us about big box trucks and semi-trucks, sometimes parked overnight, in driveways, side streets and even on main streets. These vehicles generate safety issues by blocking drivers' views, as well as creating noise issues when left running," Solomon told the newspaper.

Dearborn Police Corporal Mike Nelson told GLITR that "we had been getting so many complaints about commercial vehicles in residential neighborhoods that we did a blitz last week... it took us all week to cover the city, and we issued 164 violations."

When told of Blohm's situation -- a home-based business -- Nelson said, "We understand some people have to have a vehicle for work at home and it sounds like he would fall under the exception and should apply for the permit. A lot of home based businesses are in the same boat, heating and cooling, people on call 24 hours a day. We understand Dearborn is a blue-collar community with a lot of people needing work trucks at home."

Shortly after the first notice, Blohm said he started to research state and city ordinances.

The state of Michigan defines a "commercial motor vehicle" as one designed to transport 16 or more passengers, a motor vehicle having a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 or more pounds. But state statutes do not include a vehicle used exclusively to transport personal possessions or family members for non-business purposes.

While the city of Dearborn's ordinance has no clear definition of a commercial vehicle, Sec. 18-356 regarding parking of commercial vehicles includes, "This section shall not apply to pick-up trucks and vans utilized as family vehicles and which bear no commercial message, logo, symbol or equipment."

Blohm agrees the graphics on his vehicle appear to be the sticking point. But if that's the case, he wonders whether the city's ordinance could be applied to vehicles that have car license plates framed with dealers' names, or vehicles with sports team decals, the Detroit 'D', political bumper stickers or more -- since the size or type of graphic or decal doesn't matter.

The Blohms also complained of a lack of courtesy and customer service from the Building and Safety department.

"The inspector can't be faulted for the fuzziness of the regulations, but the attitude of 'enforcement' rather than customer service presents a bigger problem for the city and seems to be part of the culture," said Blohm. "I was never asked what kind of work I do, how I use the vehicle or offered any alternatives.

"My wife and I love Dearborn or we wouldn't continue to live and work here," he said. "We appreciate all the city services and agree that maintaining your property and safety is foremost. However, this seems ridiculous. During times when people are struggling to pay their bills and working from their homes; taking on second or third jobs, wouldn't it be more reasonable to have the city concentrate its resources to help homeowners, self-employed workers and businesses stay here?"