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‘Complex situation’

Trucking company fuels frustration in Brocton

BROCTON -- One of the intended benefits of living in a small village is the absence of excessive noise and disruption from sizable businesses. That has not been the experience of some residents in the village of Brocton.

Several residents voiced their frustrations at a recent Village Board meeting regarding a trucking company operating in the village at 113 E. Main St. The trucking company, listed online as Z & YY Trucking LLC, has been in business since 2024, and is classified as both an interstate and an intrastate trucking operation.

Residents pressed the Board and other village officials for answers on why the business is permitted to operate in a residential neighborhood. There are multiple semi trucks, a sizable garage, and a fuel tank on site at a residence located on top of a hill as drivers enter the village from Route 20.

"There is a lot to unravel, obviously. It is a complex situation," Code Enforcement Officer Josh Dobbs said.

One resident stated no objection to the operation of a business in the village, but the scale of the operations at the residential site has gotten out of hand. With five semi trucks, significant maintenance work, a 40-foot by 60-foot garage building, and a fuel tank with no bollards or fencing to protect it, the location is a far cry from a typical residential property.

Residents cited the differences between heavy vehicle parking in a residential neighborhood, which can be allowed with a special use permit, compared to a full-blown trucking operation. A storage shed, which was permitted by a previous Code Enforcement Officer, is very different from a semi truck maintenance garage, which is what exists at the site. Additionally, setback requirements are typically 150 feet from the closest dwelling unit, which residents claim is not the case with the trucking company and its neighbors.

"Heavy vehicle storage is very different from an interstate commercial fleet operation," a village resident said.

One resident acknowledged that the business could be operating with the village's permission, but if so, the resident asked for an explanation on what variances were granted to allow the business to operate, as well as a certification of occupancy and official classification of the property.

"We just want answers," one resident said.

Residents claim that maintenance of the trucks takes place at all hours of the day, with loud noises often disturbing neighbors. Five semi trucks have been seen coming and going from the site. Not only is the business creating a nuisance for neighbors, as well as a major detriment to property values of nearby homes; it is also a safety concern. Semi trucks exiting the site onto a busy street as Route 20 enters the village onto Main Street poses a threat to motorists entering the village. The presence of a fuel tank without bollards or fencing to protect it from being struck adds to the safety concerns related to the site.

"I'm sorry that it got to this point," Mayor Craig Miller said. "I don't know how that property fell through the cracks with all these things. I wish it hadn't. We'll try to move on this."

Dobbs and Village Attorney Peter Clark planned to meet to discuss several properties in the village as it relates to code enforcement, including the property in question. Clark stated that if it is determined that the business is operating outside of what is permitted in the village, a cease and desist order could be issued, as well as potential legal action in the courts if that does not remedy the situation.

"We'll have to look at it first," Clark said of the situation.

Members of the Board asked Clark and Dobbs to keep the Board and the residents informed of any developments regarding the property.

Residents also complained about the presence of chickens in the village, which is not permitted under the Village Code. Residents were urged to file a complaint against properties they know to be housing chickens for the Code Enforcement Office to investigate.