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Council reviews proposed ordinance to restrict oversized vehicles in residential yards
Summary
Staff outlined a draft ordinance to define and restrict oversized vehicles (weight/dimension criteria, 10,000‑lb threshold) from front/side/rear yards unless concealed; council favored a 48‑hour temporary exception and asked staff to incorporate task‑force survey findings.
Sam Chavez, director of community services, presented a continuation of a task‑force review and a proposed ordinance to address oversized vehicles in residential areas, proposing definitions, enforcement approaches and a community outreach plan.
Chavez said enforcement currently draws on chapter 82 (street parking) and property‑maintenance codes for private property; staff identified a weight threshold of 10,000 pounds as the point when vehicles or trailers become subject to enforcement. "That is when we start really looking at the enforcement action," he said. The proposed ordinance would prohibit parking, storing or keeping oversized vehicles in rear and side yards unless they are concealed from the right of way by a permitted wall, fence or landscaping; the draft also includes a 12‑month grace period for some situations.
Councilmembers raised several practical questions: whether moving an RV every eight hours would avoid a violation (staff: it would still be a violation), whether front yards should also be prohibited (consensus: front‑yard parking should be restricted), and whether short, temporary exceptions should be allowed for cleaning or brief use. Several councilmembers and the mayor said a 48‑hour temporary allowance without a permit would be reasonable for cleaning or loading/unloading.
Chavez reported roughly 63 open code cases related to oversized vehicles out of about 5,800 total code cases in a recent window; the report did not distinguish RVs, boats or trailers. The city plans education via the Branch Bulletin, Branch Review and social media, plus proactive neighborhood outreach. Councilmembers requested the task‑force survey results be re‑circulated to the council before the next action.
Staff did not seek immediate formal adoption at the study session; the item will return for final review following the task force meeting and additional council input.
