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Bill would require 20-foot parking buffer at crosswalks to improve pedestrian visibility; first-year enforcement by warning
Summary
Senator Melanie Scheibel told the Assembly committee SB 320 would require vehicles to park at least 20 feet from crosswalks (marked or unmarked) to improve visibility; enforcement would start with warnings for the first year and local jurisdictions may set longer buffers.
The Assembly Committee on Growth and Infrastructure considered Senate Bill 320, which would require a 20‑foot buffer between parked vehicles and the ends of crosswalks to improve driver visibility and pedestrian safety.
Senator Melanie Scheibel, sponsor of SB 320, described the measure as a public-safety bill that defines all street corners as crosswalks and requires parked cars to be at least 20 feet from the end of sidewalks where pedestrians cross. She said the 20‑foot distance is based on visibility research and the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. "This requires cars to be parked at least 20 feet away from the end of that...sidewalk. And that ensures that there's better visibility for drivers as they are coming up to that intersection and through that intersection," Scheibel said.
The bill lets local jurisdictions set a longer buffer where conditions (curves, trees, buildings) warrant it but not a shorter one. It also phases enforcement: for the first year after the law takes effect, enforcement would be limited to warnings; municipalities could then use their normal ticketing mechanisms. Scheibel said the warning-first approach was intended to give communities time to adapt, and that municipalities could craft local ordinances or design changes to preserve parking where needed.
Supporters included representatives from the City of Reno and the Nevada Disability Action Coalition. Nick Zaccone of Reno cited the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices in support of a uniform 20‑foot standard. Dora Martinez of the Nevada Disability Action Coalition called the change "common sense" and said the extra distance helps people who are blind or use guide dogs to detect oncoming vehicles and have time to cross safely.
Committee discussion focused on concerns about lost curbside parking in dense neighborhoods and how local governments would provide alternatives; Scheibel said the one-year warning period and local flexibility were designed to let communities adapt. The hearing closed with no committee vote recorded on SB 320.
