Fairfield Township trustees consider ordinance-style parking rules to limit long-term street storage

Fairfield Township trustees discussed a draft set of parking regulations intended to curb long-term storage of vehicles on public streets, promote emergency access and give the township an enforcement mechanism it currently lacks.

The draft, presented by Chuck, cites authority in the Ohio Revised Code that allows township trustees to regulate parking and placement of containers in public rights-of-way. Key proposals include a 72-hour limit on vehicles left on the street, a restriction on parking on both sides of roads narrower than 24 feet, and a permit option to allow temporary exemptions such as for vacations.

The measures target situations the trustees described as ‘‘using public infrastructure as a storage lot’’ for vehicles that are not clearly abandoned but are parked long term. ‘‘The ORC does provide the township trustees with the authority to enact parking regulations, to regulate parking of vehicles, placement of temporary containers, and other items within public streets and right of ways,’’ Chuck said. He added the draft is meant to ‘‘promote public safety and clear access for emergency vehicles and establish consistent and enforceable regulations throughout the township.’’

Trustees and staff discussed how the rules would be measured and enforced. The 24-foot measurement would use the pavement as the point of measurement for roadway width under the draft. The trustees were told signs must be posted on designated roads to make such restrictions enforceable. Larry, speaking on enforcement options, said civil fines are available under statute but can be difficult to enforce through local courts; making parking violations a minor misdemeanor is another option. ‘‘The problem with the civil fines is it's very hard to get them enforced,’’ he said.

The draft does not yet include complete enforcement language for towing and impoundment; trustees asked staff to work with area courts and finalize those sections. Staff also proposed a permit system so residents with temporary needs (for example, a weeklong vacation) could obtain permission to leave a vehicle without penalty. Trustees expressed concern about potential abuse of a permit system and discussed limiting vacation permits to short durations and considering fees for non-vacation uses.

Trustees said they have received numerous resident complaints about a single individual parking multiple vehicles on township streets and agreed the township needs regulations to address problem locations. Several trustees suggested limiting parking to one side of narrow streets and using signage and neighborhood-specific designations (for example, fire lanes) where necessary to maintain emergency access and allow snowplows to pass.

No formal ordinance or motion was adopted at the meeting. Trustees directed staff to continue drafting a regulation package, consult the area court about enforceability and towing/impound language, and return a refined proposal for board review at a future meeting.

A follow-up draft will include enforcement language, towing/impound procedures and proposed permit rules for temporary exemptions; trustees asked staff to consider permit fee structures and to ensure the draft aligns with court enforcement practices.

Questions and comments during the discussion included concerns about how officials would determine whether a vehicle has been parked longer than 72 hours, how to measure the roadway, and how to prevent permit abuse. Staff indicated they had reviewed parking codes used by 10–15 Ohio jurisdictions to inform the draft.

The trustees emphasized the goal is not to broadly restrict parking but to address vehicles that ‘‘aren’t going anywhere’’ and to preserve public-safety access and the township’s investment in streets.