A new ordinance regulating the parking of commercial vehicles, trailers, boats, RVs, and campers on city streets is set to come before the Crawfordsville Common Council on Monday.
Earlier this week, members of the city council’s Traffic, Parking and Safety Committee discussed the proposed ordinance that regulates the parking of commercial vehicles and trailers on public streets, roads, alleyways, sidewalks, and right-of-ways.
“The number of complaints we are getting just grows and grows and grows,” Mayor Todd Barton told council members. “People park their campers on a city street, they park their boats there, typically in front of their neighbor’s house, and leave it, so this is our first try to address that.”
He added that his office regularly receives complaints about contractors who also park their work vehicles and trailers in front of a neighbor’s residence, which creates tension among neighbors, and sometimes traffic hazards.
Barton’s administration has been working for months to come up with a workable solution, and the ordinance now under consideration was modeled from another community.
“I’m not sure this is perfect, but it’s a first good attempt,” he said.
The proposal would prohibit the parking of commercial vehicles, trailers, boats, recreational vehicles, campers, travel trailers on city streets. However, the ordinance stipulates that temporary loading, unloading or delivery of goods and materials was allowed when actively engaged in repair, alteration, remodeling, or construction.
Furthermore, the ordinance prohibits the temporary parking of RVs, campers, or travel trailers on a public street for a period not to exceed 24 hours.
The ordinance defines a commercial vehicle as any licensed vehicle that exceeds 26,000 pounds. The ordinance does not apply to trailers or semi-trailers, as the city already regulates those vehicles.
Each day a violation remains uncorrected will result in a $50 fine. A second citation is $75 and each citation in excess of two is $100.
The street commissioner also would be authorized to install necessary signage and markings pertaining to the ordinance.
Crawfordsville Police Chief Aaron Mattingly told council members he anticipates a lot of education will be necessary, especially in the beginning, and that his department will likely issue warnings before writing a citation.
Barton and Mattingly both shared examples of how these parking situations are not only causing neighborhood eyesores and disputes between neighbors but can be a safety issue for motorists.
Councilman Ethan Hollander supports the proposal.
“It gives us something to stand on in these abusive situations,” Hollander said.
The Traffic, Parking and Safety Committee voted 4-0 to send the proposed ordinance to the full council with a favorable recommendation.
In other business, the Ordinance & Petitions Committee voted 3-0 to send an ordinance repealing and replacing city code, chapter 30, as it relates to the organization of city government to the full council with a favorable recommendation.
The Fiscal Affairs Committee voted 4-0 to send a resolution giving the city parks department approval to apply for an INDOT grant for the Sunshine Vans program to the full council with a favorable recommendation. The committee also sent an ordinance establishing a city READI grant fund to the full council with a favorable recommendation.
The regular meeting of the council is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday in the council chambers of the City Building, 300 E. Pike St.
