BRADENTON BEACH – Parking with any tires on the pavement or parking within 15 feet of a stop sign will soon subject drivers to a $50 parking ticket.
The mayor and city commissioners remain divided as to whether parking with a portion of your vehicle hanging over the pavement will also be a finable offense.
These changes to the city’s parking ordinance were discussed at the Tuesday, Sept. 10 commission work meeting. At the commission’s request, City Attorney Ricinda Perry is now drafting ordinance language that incorporates the commission’s requested changes.
Mayor John Chappie and commissioners Ralph Cole, Marilyn Maro and Jake Spooner agree that vehicles should not park with any tires on the road or park within 15 feet of a stop sign. The city’s parking ordinance currently prohibits parking within 10 feet of a stop sign.
Chappie and Maro believe tickets should be issued for parking with a portion of the vehicle hanging over the pavement. Cole and Spooner do not support that position.
Commissioner Randy White will likely cast the tie-breaking vote on vehicle overhang when the ordinance is presented for adoption at two future public hearings. White did not attend the recent work meeting.
Chappie initiated the work meeting discussion and voiced concerns that included too many vehicles being parked at vacation rental homes on the south side of town.
Chappie said his primary concern with vehicles overhanging the pavement pertains primarily to vehicles parked close to an intersection, which impedes the visibility of approaching drivers.
Inconsistent rules
Police Chief Sam Speciale said his officers would enforce whatever changes the commission adopts, but they have to be written in a manner that will hold up if challenged in court.
Speciale said the city’s current parking regulations are inconsistent because they have long differed for the north and south sides of the city due to varying space limitations.
Speciale said there generally isn’t enough space in the rights of way on the south side of the city to park without having at least two tires on the road, but you can be ticketed for doing the same on the north side of town.
Speciale questioned the fairness and consistency of ticketing someone who parks with their tires on the pavement on the north side of the city and does not get ticketed for doing the same on the south side.
The four attending commission members agreed that they want consistency and they seek an ordinance that prohibits parking with tires on the pavement citywide.
Other changes
Other proposed changes include prohibiting parking in a manner that blocks an alley, similar to the existing prohibition on blocking a driveway.
Building Official Steve Gilbert suggested eliminating the wordy ordinance language that pertains to parking at city street ends and allowing street end parking unless a no parking sign prohibits it.
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