Parma Heights council continues debate over parking limits for commercial vehicles, asks staff to check state rules

Council President Tom Rounds opened the May 22 work session by continuing the council’s review of a proposed amendment that would limit parking of commercial vehicles in residential areas and presenting a revised draft for discussion. "This Work Session is a continuation of the discussion on the proposed parking of commercial vehicles amendment," Rounds said.

The primary dispute among council members concerned how to identify prohibited vehicles: by physical dimensions in the draft (for example, 20 feet in length or 9 feet in height) or by legally defined commercial weight and registration. Councilwoman Walsh questioned why the draft singles out rear dual wheels ("dualies") and cited the Ohio Revised Code's commercial-plate threshold of 10,001 pounds and the ORC rule that some 9–15 passenger vehicles require commercial plates. Service Director Sepik responded that a "dual set" describes four wheels on a rear axle and that some vehicles exceed the draft's 20-foot measure; he said the city could not apply weight in the ordinance language and therefore relied on size limits.

Councilwoman Maruschak urged striking the dual-wheel language and keeping the standard based on bus-size dimensions to avoid confusing residents. Mayor Gallo told council the administration would review the Ohio Revised Code and related regulations and emphasized the city did not intend to "go after" church vehicles; council members noted vehicles used for transporting people (for example, church vans or shuttles) can appear taller than the draft's height limit.

Members also discussed where such vehicles should be allowed to park on private property. Councilwoman DeSouza asked whether the ordinance should require parking on a hard surface such as asphalt or concrete; several members said that sidewalk-impeding rules and recreation-code provisions already address related concerns and recommended cross-referencing those existing sections rather than embedding duplicate language.

The group debated whether to cap the number of qualifying vehicles on a property. Councilwoman DeSouza suggested a numeric limit; Councilwoman Walsh and Councilman Stavole opposed regulating how many vehicles a homeowner may keep. Maruschak proposed requiring vehicles to be in "good repair," a standard Walsh called subjective. Council members agreed to avoid overly prescriptive or duplicative language and to add cross-references to enforcement or repair provisions already in the city code.

Councilman Haase urged the council to finalize language and move the draft forward after what he described as repetitive debate. Council President Rounds said the city should consider successful language from other municipalities to avoid known problems. No motion or vote was taken at the session. Staff was asked to research the Ohio Revised Code and other jurisdictions' ordinances and prepare a revised draft for future consideration. The work session adjourned at 6:48 p.m.