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Chester officials announce stepped-up enforcement on cars parked on vacant lots and unlawful street sales
Summary
Council members and city officials described a coordinated enforcement effort involving police, streets and L&I to ticket, tag and tow vehicles parked on vacant lots and to crack down on unlawful car sales on city streets; city plans to place 'abandoned' stickers, issue paper tickets and tow in cases on city-owned land, while privately owned lots
City of Chester officials said they will begin stepped-up enforcement this spring and summer against vehicles parked on vacant lots, illegal street-side car sales and junk vehicles in public view.
At the April 1 special council meeting a council member reported receiving many calls from residents about cars parked on private and vacant lots and sellers using city streets to display and sell vehicles. The council member told colleagues the city will coordinate police, the streets department and Licenses and Inspections (L&I) to address the complaints.
Officials described a multi-part approach: placing “abandoned” stickers on vehicles, issuing paper tickets, towing vehicles ranging from small bicycles to large trailers and, where lots are city-owned, removing vehicles more quickly. The speaker said the city has the resources to tow “everything from a tricycle to a 52 footer” and warned residents that enforcement would continue through the summer.
The speaker noted a difference in procedure depending on ownership of the lot. “This particular land is owned by CETA. This is city owned land. That's what makes it a little easier for us to get to,” the speaker said. For vehicles on privately owned vacant lots, officials said a different process applies and additional steps will be required.
Council members and staff showed images to illustrate problem locations, including a lot at Ninth and Morton that was cited as an example where cars were parked on sidewalks and where a U-Haul sign indicated commercial activity. Officials said they will also explore requiring repair businesses and junkyards to fence or screen outdoor storage so it is not visible from the street.
Police Commissioner Blackwell was cited as involved in the enforcement planning; speakers said enforcement would include coordination with the streets department and with other city departments.
No ordinance or formal vote was taken at the meeting; the discussion was presented as an operational initiative and an ongoing enforcement program.
