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Council hears public hearing on NNS Towing request to locate at 11139 W. Beecher St.
Summary
City planning staff described a conditional-use permit application from long‑time tow operator NNS Towing for a 2.5‑acre, light‑industrial site at 11139 West Beecher Street; the Planning Commission recommended approval with conditions. Council opened the public hearing but did not take a final vote that evening.
The West Allis Common Council on June 10 held a public hearing on a conditional‑use permit application from NNS Towing to operate a light motor‑vehicle service and towing business at 11139 West Beecher Street.
Steve Sher, director of city planning, told the council the operator has been in the community “for the past, probably, 30 30 years plus” and is seeking to lease part of a roughly 2.5‑acre, light‑industrial site that includes a 19,000‑square‑foot building. Sher said the site plan shows the tow shop and indoor truck storage on the east side of the building, shared office space on the west side, about 20 percent landscaping across the site, and areas intended for staging and longer‑term outdoor storage.
Sher described operations and hours: towing services operate 24/7 for emergency calls; customer hours would be Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–5 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m.–3 p.m.; the repair shop would be closed Saturdays and Sundays. He said the company proposes pavement repairs in customer and employee parking areas and installation of a 6‑ to 8‑foot fence around the rear yard to screen stored vehicles. Sher said, “I will note that this is not going to be a salvage yard.” He added that longer‑term storage would be handled at the company’s Greenfield location rather than at the Beecher site.
Alderman Haas asked about fence limits. “Steve, what's our rule for maximum fence height? I thought it was 6 feet,” Haas said. Sher replied that 6 feet is the standard but planning commission approval can allow taller fences in nonresidential areas and that an 8‑foot fence is common for industrial sites. Aldermen Haas and Weigel said on‑site screening and an 8‑foot fence made sense given the adjacent residential area.
Councilmembers also questioned how the city would handle off‑street staging complaints if tow operators park on public streets. Sher said the city could enforce by ticketing and, in extreme repeated cases, pursue revocation of a conditional‑use permit after a public hearing; he said the city is working with the applicant to avoid that outcome.
Sher said the plan commission reviewed the proposal at its last meeting and recommended approval subject to conditions that include pavement repairs, keeping commercial vehicles off Beecher Street, showing an on‑site after‑hours staging area away from residences, locating refuse areas on the site plan, and keeping service bay doors closed during operations to limit emissions.
The public hearing was closed and moved to the next agenda items; the council did not take a final vote on the conditional‑use permit that evening.
