Area News Editor
news1@ulyssesnews.com
The trucking industry has seen a boom in Ulysses, with many long-haul truckers making Ulysses their base of operations. That means semis and their trailers are increasingly being parked on city streets, which creates issues with visibility, and with heavier trucks that can damage the street surface. The Ulysses city council on August 28 passed a revised ordinance that outlines what’s allowed on city streets and the penalties for violations of the ordinance. Ordinance 1205 passed by a 4-2 vote.
“There’s a number of clarifications and better definitions,” said city administrator Luke Grimes. “The ordinance restricts people from parking their semi trucks, or their box trucks if they have that, in the street. They would have to park it in their driveway, not in their yard, not on grass, on a designated parking area.”
Grimes didn’t make a particular exception for truckers who park in the street to wash it, saying he didn’t know if a police officer would enforce that in a way that was “unreasonable.”
“With this new ordinance, they can park it in their driveway, a designated parking spot, but not in the street and not in their yard,” Grimes reiterated.
Councilman Caleb Woods said he went out early on a Saturday morning and found eight trucks in the city, five parked on the street and three in their yard; 31 campers in town with 22 of those in the yard or driveway, and nine on the street. Woods said he didn’t have a problem with trucks parked on the street.
Councilman Mark Diaz said he didn’t want trucks and trailers parked on the street citing visibility issues.
Councilman Ken Warner asked what the goal of the ordinance was.
“I think that if you don’t have some kind or ordinance, I think eventually people are gonna take advantage of the situation and you’re gonna have trucks parked all over town,” Diaz responded. “I think there’s a safety factor. That’s a goal for the ordinance is to make sure that there is a safety factor that we look at for people in town.”
Police chief Ron Vagher said the police have had a few complaints about trucks parked on the street but it’s mainly when they have the trailers attached.
“I think that if we don’t have some type of ordinance in place, then we have nothing to stand on,” Diaz added.
A designated parking area is defined as any parking area, driveway or loading area that is graded and has a permanent hard surface that is at least four inches thick for concrete or two inches thick for other materials such as a dustless material like gravel, brick, rock, pavers or asphalt.
“This would also apply to camper trailers, RVs and utility trailers,” Grimes added. “The only thing that could be in the street would be cars, pickups, UTVs (and) motorcycles.”
Exceptions include parking on grass, gravel or crushed material of similar consistency for sporting events, car shows, music concerts, holidays or social celebrations; real estate under active construction, and vehicles parked in the rear of a building and concealed from view by an opaque screen fence or wall at least six feet tall, as well as a solid hedge of vegetation at least six feet high.
The new ordinance makes it illegal to park or store any trailer or recreational vehicle, utility or boat trailer for more than 48 hours.
Utility trailers actively engaged in construction, landscaping, loading or unloading for the duration of their work onsite are allowed by permit from the Ulysses Police Department or the city.
Trucks are defined as a vehicle with gross weight at 30,000 pounds or more, any semi trailer or semi truck loaded or unloaded, and all trucks are required to follow truck routes in the city. Any vehicle 24 feet or more in length are allowed for the amount of time it takes to load or unload.
Violation of the ordinance carries fines of $50 for the first offense, $100 for the second offense and $200 for the third offense, plus court costs.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here