If the story of Michael Eich’s attempt to expand his U-Haul business in the Village of Oak Creek were a soap opera it might be called “As the Worm Turns.”
In January 2014, he started leasing moving trucks and equipment as a side business to The Worm Book & Music Store that he operates in the Oak Creek Factory Outlets mall. The U-Haul business was immediately successful.
Despite typically slow months for rentals, Eich said his business was moving well. His first full month generated 151 rental contracts; the following month, it was up to 193.
The early success was no surprise to Eich.
“U-Haul didn’t come looking here just for fun,” he said at the time. “There’s a need for this service in the Village. There’s a lot of rental properties, people moving in and out. U-Haul was interested in a location in the Village. They approached me because we had an unused parking lot in the back.”
It wasn’t long after he started the business, however, that someone complained to the county about trucks and trailers spoiling the view.
As it turned out, the property wasn’t zoned to allow “open storage of vehicles,” a county official told The Village View for an earlier story.
Eich argued that he was not “storing” vehicles, pointing to the rapid turnover of his inventory.
“This is important since my position with regard to zoning is the equipment is not ‘outdoor storage,’” he said. “These are licensed, registered vehicles that move on a regular basis parked in a parking lot. They are not being stored.”
After the complaint, the county scheduled an administrative hearing and posted notices, which prompted follow-up complaints.
An administrative hearing officer ruled last March that the rental fleet violated the county’s zoning ordinance, assessed a fine and ordered Eich to get rid of the trucks.
Eich complied, but continued to sell U-Haul products — but couldn’t rent trucks, which is the more lucrative side of the business.
He didn’t give up, and eventually was able to secure permission to have just two trucks in the parking lot.
To read the full story, pick up the April edition of the Village View.
