The City Council discussed prohibiting front yard parking with some exceptions. They discussed rationale for regulations like preventing blight and allowing emergency vehicle access. In May 2011, they basically prohibited front yard parking with exceptions like screening or parking in rear yards. Today's discussion proposes prohibiting front yard parking with exceptions for screening, parking on improved surfaces, or residential lots on narrow streets, and allowing one year after passage for compliance.

1. City CouncilOctober 18, 2011

2. Discussion Item – Front Yard ParkingRequested by Council members Adams & Alexander;Discussed in December of 2003;Discussed in October of 2009;Discussed in May of 2011;

3. Purpose of DiscussionGet thoughts of Council;Determine if/how issue should be addressed; andObtain direction for ordinance.

4. Rationale Behind RegulationsAppearance of blight;Clear delineation between parking areas and yards;Prevents growth of ground cover;Reduces openness;Blocks sight lines for vehicular traffic;Obstructs access for emergency vehicles;Diminishes quality of neighborhoods;

5. May 2011 DiscussionBasically prohibited parking with the following exceptions:Parking screened from public view with a fence or wall 6’ in height;Parking in a rear yard not adjacent to a street right-of-way;Residential lots on streets 30’ wide or narrower;Parking of a vehicle with a valid handicapped license plate or mirror hanger;On an improved surface;For six months after the passage of the ordinance.

6. Today’s DiscussionProhibition of parking in all front yards, with the following exceptions:Parking screened from public view with a fence or wall 6’ in height;Vehicles parked on an improved surface;Residential lots fronting onto street rights-of-way which have less than 36’ of pavement width;Street rights-of-way defined in the Master Thoroughfare Plan as minor arterial, major arterial, minor collector, major collector; and For one year after the passage of the ordinance.

7. Proposed Definition of Improved Surfacehot mix over an appropriate base material; two-course penetration (two layers of crushed stone and asphalt); reinforced concrete; interlocking concrete paving stones over an appropriate base; or compacted gravel, caliche or crushed rock with a minimum depth.