Boynton Beach commissioners direct staff to draft stricter parking, abandoned-vehicle code

The Boynton Beach City Commission on Aug. 5 directed staff to draft a citywide ordinance tightening rules on parking, abandoned vehicles and storage of recreational vehicles, following a staff presentation that identified gaps in current code enforcement. City planners and code enforcement staff said the proposal would update section 14-5 of the municipal code to prohibit parking on swales, grass and public right-of-way, tighten truck- and commercial-vehicle restrictions and align the city with other Palm Beach County municipalities. "What we're looking to update is to mirror Wellington, which... don't allow parking on your grass, parking on the swale, or public parking," said Candace Stone, a city staff presenter. The proposed change would move enforcement from reactive citations to a standard that discourages parking on nonpaved surfaces and in the right of way. Commissioners and staff stressed the proposal is intended to improve public safety and emergency access. City Manager Dan Dugger noted residents and public-safety staff had repeatedly raised concerns about narrow streets rendered less accessible by vehicles parked on swales or in yards. "Some of our public safety vehicles... can't access those roadways appropriately," Dugger said. Staff also described existing abandoned-vehicle rules, noting different time frames for removal depending on whether a vehicle is on public or private property. "When it's on public property, it's five days," the presenter said; when on private property the timeline in ordinance and state statute is longer. Commissioners asked staff to research whether state law permits a shorter removal period. Several commissioners urged quick action and more enforcement resources. Commissioner Turkin and others proposed examining outside vendors that could augment code enforcement outside regular union schedules; City Manager Dugger asked staff to evaluate vendors that could handle early-morning or weekend enforcement without affecting collective-bargaining agreements. The commission gave staff direction, not a formal vote, to draft a replacement ordinance and bring it for a first reading at an upcoming meeting (staff discussed aiming for the Aug. 19 joint meeting or the Sept. 2 meeting) and to return with implementation options, including staffing, hours of enforcement, and potential contracted vendors. Commissioners also requested clearer complaint and response reporting for each commission district, improved public information about how to report parking obstructions (police remain the primary responder to roadway hazards), and more proactive enforcement in neighborhoods that have reported persistent problems. The discussion covered enforcement mechanics that staff said exist now — decals, PD involvement, fines — and operational gaps: limited staff on the west side of the city, the need for staggered schedules, and whether civil fines are an effective deterrent. Staff said they will return with draft ordinance language, an enforcement plan and a schedule for first reading. Less-critical details and next steps: staff said they will reintroduce a revised abandoned-property ordinance at a future meeting, will report on vendor options that provide dedicated early-morning/weekend coverage, and will provide district-level analytics on complaints and enforcement activity once the city’s data systems are updated.