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CAC member raises concerns about local idling allowance in anti-idling law
Summary
A CAC member said Kingston's anti-idling provision allows vehicles to idle beyond 10 minutes during extended cold conditions and asked staff to review enforcement options; attendees discussed whether citations are being issued.
A CAC member (name not specified) told the meeting that a provision in the town's anti-idling law allows a vehicle to idle for more than 10 minutes if the temperature is below 25 degrees for more than two hours, creating a broad winter exemption that the member said may permit prolonged idling.
"It says that you can idle, more than 10 minutes if the temperature is below 25 degrees for more than 2 hours," the CAC member said, adding that the effect could be vehicles idling throughout the winter. The CAC member said officers who responded in one instance were aware of the exemption and could not issue a citation because the behavior met the law's condition.
A second speaker asked whether officers had issued citations in other cases; the CAC member said staff are receiving more calls but that it is unclear whether citations are being issued in practice. The CAC member suggested the commission could look into possible changes or ask staff to research enforcement and municipal precedents.
The CAC member also said the state law already covers diesel vehicles and that the local discussion focuses on non-diesel vehicles and private-property situations. No ordinance change was proposed at the meeting; attendees discussed staff follow-up to review options and precedents.
