Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Environment Ordinance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Caledonia trustees ask staff to draft ordinance banning coal‑tar driveway sealants
Summary
Trustees directed staff to research and draft a local ordinance banning sale and use of coal‑tar driveway sealants after trustees and a longtime detective described door‑to‑door scams and officials cited environmental and health concerns.
Trustees for the Village of Caledonia voted to direct staff to review and draft an ordinance that would prohibit the sale and use of coal‑tar driveway sealants locally.
The motion, made during the Committee of the Whole meeting on Sept. 27, follows trustees’ accounts of door‑to‑door contractors selling driveway sealant treatments that were later suspected to be coal tar or other hazardous materials. A trustee who said she had worked as a detective recounted cases in which older residents paid thousands of dollars and, in some instances, were burglarized while contractors distracted them.
The push for an ordinance aimed to give police and prosecutors a clearer enforcement tool. “It’s at least a start and at least give some sort of actionable enforcement to the police department to start making a difference with these transient criminals,” a trustee stated during discussion.
Village engineer Ryan explained the technical basis for concern, saying the product is a coal‑refining byproduct that contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and “it is a carcinogen that gets placed onto the ground.” He noted a broader regional trend: many nearby municipalities adopted bans in the last 10–15 years and Milwaukee County and the city of Racine have prohibitions in place.
Trustees discussed enforcement challenges, including how homeowners would know what product a contractor used and whether enforcement belongs in hazardous‑materials code (fire department purview) or public‑works titles that govern driveways. Ryan said staff could present draft language and attorney input to clarify where the prohibition would fit in the municipal code.
The motion directing staff to review possible ordinances and return with legal and implementation recommendations was seconded and approved by voice vote. Trustees asked that any future draft address penalties, placement in the code, and public outreach so residents understand what products are prohibited.
Next steps: staff will research model ordinances, consult the village attorney, and present draft language and recommended implementation steps to the board at a subsequent meeting.
