Supervisor asks that Town Board crack open parking code

By JEFF MORRIS

Supervisor Ellen Calves has asked the Town Board to consider a revision to the town’s parking code regarding commercial or other large vehicles. 

The Dec. 16 discussion was apparently based on complaints about a particular vehicle that is consistently parked on one street.

Calves said there have been complaints about a large vehicle parking in the town right-of-way, and the town was asked whether there was anything it could do to prevent such large vehicles from parking on the street.

Calves said the current law states commercial vehicles are not allowed to be parked in the right-of-way unless they are providing a service to a nearby building or house.

“It doesn’t really specify its size,” she said, though vehicles over 20 feet are not permitted in commuter lots. 

The law states: “It shall not be permitted to park a commercial vehicle or industrial vehicle on any public street or Town right-of-way in a district zoned residential, or in any Town owned, operated and maintained public parking lots, except for a vehicle parked temporarily for the purpose of delivering or picking up goods, wares or merchandise, or rendering services to premises or businesses in the immediate vicinity thereof, or without first obtaining a parking permit to park in a Town owned, operated and maintained public parking lot.” It also prohibits vehicles over 20 feet in length from parking in any town owned, operated and maintained public parking lot, or obtaining a parking permit.

“The other law we have relates to our local truck routes,” she said, which prohibits vehicles with gross vehicle weight rating over 10,000 pounds from using the roads unless it is going directly to or from a local delivery. Under that law, vehicles over that weight would not be allowed to park.

Calves said another thing residents who are concerned about this have asked her to look up is whether motor homes are allowed. She cited several other towns’ regulations regarding such vehicles, mostly related to overnight parking and living in a vehicle while parked on the street.

“We could look into whether prohibiting RVs over a certain size on our town roads is something we could do,” she said, “but there may be people who have visitors who have an RV that want to come stay, and would have to figure out where to put it.” 

She said the problem is there is something specific that residents want addressed, and trying to pass a town law across the board to address one problem would be hard, especially since that may wind up moving the problem to a different place.

Board member Bobbi Bittker said the real problem is that some town roads are very narrow, and having large vehicles parked on them presents a danger.

Calves asked if, since there is already a law preventing vehicles over 10,000 pounds that applies to vehicles conducting business for profit, could they simply remove that condition and have it apply to any vehicle over 10,000 pounds. 

Bittker said it would then no longer be under the commercial vehicles section; Town Attorney Eric Gordon said they could add another section applying to all vehicles of that size.

Board member Tom Catoliato noted Class B vehicles are less than 10,000 pounds, so it would not encompass all they are attempting to do. 

As the discussion progressed, it became evident they were talking about one particular vehicle, parking on one street, and occupied by one individual.

Board member Stephanie McCaine said they were trying to address multiple problems: if someone is living in a vehicle on the street in the winter, there is clearly a crisis that they are not going to solve with parking legislation.

“You’ve addressed that person living in a large vehicle,” she said. “What happens when they get a station wagon? I was here in the ‘70s when we had quite a number of those characters; and there are probably people here who we don’t know who are doing that as well.” 

She said it is a huge concern, but they need to decide which problems they are trying to solve, and what is the best solution for each of those problems. Bittker replied the easiest one to solve would be traffic safety and allowing people to have access to their property; McCaine said right now they have one problem, and she is not aware of it being a pervasive problem. She did not think trying to solve one problem was the way to make legislation. 

Subsequent comments from residents made it clear that the complaints are related to an RV that consistently parks on Edgemont Road at Valley Road, making it difficult to access driveways, blocking a stop sign and making driving around it hazardous. It was noted that the vehicle does not park overnight, which is prohibited, but is parked during the day.

The board did not come to any conclusion, but Calves said they would continue considering ways to address a sensitive situation. 

“We’ve been working on trying to find a way for this person to move along, and it’s a long story,” Calves said. “It’s complicated. I don’t want to get into it now; I think we are still working towards a solution.”

She said neighbors have been very patient, and they are trying to connect the person, who does not have anywhere else to go, with services and help. 

“We will look into, at our next meeting, proposing how we might amend the law so that size vehicle cannot be obstructing roads,” she said.