Trucking firm doesn’t have to pave for permit

To pave or not to pave was the question Saukville Industrial Park owner Don Teunissen was asking Saukville village officials over a parcel he wants to lease to Ruan Transport Co.

The Iowa-based trucking firm has been hired by Charter Steel to haul finished steel coils, about 30% of the company’s output.

In May, Ruan got the go-ahead to set up shop at 516 Technology Way.

A month later, the village learned Ruan wanted to work from another building at 800B Progress Dr. and had already signed a lease with Teunissen.

But after the lease was signed, the village learned that the lot didn’t comply with local ordinances, which require it to be paved.

Teunissen was incredulous, saying he had never been required to pave the site in the 30-plus years he has owned it.

Village trustees agreed in June to issue a temporary certificate of compliance, good for four months, allowing Ruan to begin operating on the site and give Teunissen time to pave it.

Teunissen asked his attorney to look into the matter and last week the issue was back before the Village Plan Commission, this time to grant a permanent certificate of compliance, thanks to a letter from Village Attorney Gerald Antoine saying Teunissen did not need to pave the site.

Responding to an inquiry from Teunissen’s attorney, Antoine found the paving requirement was instituted in 1989 and was not in effect when Teunissen bought the property in 1984, making it a permitted nonconforming use.

The commission voted unanimously to grant the permanent certificate of compliance.