Kendall County Times

The city of Joliet issued a special use permit to a business that had been operating without a license in an improper zoning code for years. 

At their May 16th City Council meeting, officials were presented with an item for approval regarding a truck repair facility at 490 S. Hammes Ave. 

The request was for a special use permit and business license to operate a vehicular repair business at this location, which does not fit the zoning and thus needs the special permit. 

"Some people don't know, unfortunately, that this type of business requires a license," City Planner James Torri said. "I don't think they were trying to intentionally do something inappropriate."

Torri went on to talk about the background of the business. 

“This was caught as operating without a business license and without a special use permit. So they had been operating for a while. And so this was just catching up with them and getting them through our process," he said.

Mayor Terry D’Arcy asked if there had been any problems or complaints from neighbors about this business, and Torri said there had not been any. 

“This was not started because of a complaint. It was our business licensing department finding out that they didn't have a license and letting us know,” Torri said. 

Some of the advantages of the business permit, Torri said, will be helping to address a few existing problems by restricting parking to prevent any on-street vehicles and cleaning up the business a little. The business has agreed to all of this, Torri told the council.

Councilwoman Jan Quillman was shocked to hear the business had been operating since the early 2000’s. City Manager James Capparelli explained that many don’t know about the license requirements. He said the additional staff member hired a year ago to address such matters was the reason they had discovered this business’ lack of compliance.

Quillman said, “They should be charged with some fines for operating that long.” 

A representative from the business answered some of the questions on the situation, taking the stand that since they only worked on their own company’s fleet vehicles, they did not need a business license. When they were contacted by the city, however, they decided to move forward with the license in case they ever did any outside work for anyone else.

Regardless, they did need to have the special use permit because the work they are doing on the property does not match the zoning, the city said. The council approved the licensure for the business and issued the special use permit.