Montclair council approves first reading of ordinance limiting oversized vehicle parking on public streets

The Montclair City Council on first reading approved an ordinance aimed at curbing safety and parking problems tied to oversized vehicles and unattached trailers on public streets.

Special counsel James Eert told the council the proposal targets vehicles that exceed 22 feet in length, 8 feet in height or 8 feet in width and applies only to public rights of way, not private property. Eert said the measure responds to reduced sight lines, obstruction of traffic-control devices, loss of on-street parking and decreased drivable roadway width caused by large vehicles.

Eert and staff contrasted the draft city rule with state Assembly Bill 413 (the ``daylighting'' law), saying AB 413’s 20-foot-from-crosswalk standard addresses passenger vehicles but does not fully mitigate sight-line problems posed by much larger vehicles. "AB 413 does not prevent a city from being more restrictive," Eert said, explaining the city can adopt broader protections for health and safety.

Under the ordinance the council approved for first reading, oversized vehicles and unattached trailers would be banned at all times in residential districts, with limited exceptions for active loading/unloading, performance of a service on the same block, public-utility and government vehicles, school buses while loading/unloading, emergency breakdowns (temporary relief), and vehicles operating under a public-works permit. Recreational vehicles would be covered by a permit program that staff described as online and resident-tied: up to 10 short-term (72-hour) permits and two long-term (seven-day) permits per residential unit per calendar year, with a required 24-hour gap between successive permits.

Council members pressed staff on several implementation details, including how height is measured, whether ladder racks or cargo boxes count toward the height limit, how pickup-truck exemptions in the Vehicle Code apply, and whether Sprinter-style vans would be covered. Staff clarified that height is measured from the lowest point of the wheel to the highest integral point of the vehicle, and that cargo cabins used to carry people or goods would be included in the measurement. Eert said pickup-truck exemptions come from the Vehicle Code and may apply even if some trucks exceed the numeric thresholds.

On enforcement, staff said the program would be primarily reactive: parking enforcement and police would respond to complaints and to visible health-and-safety hazards, and officers would have discretion to issue warnings or citations. The council asked staff to build an educational rollout and agreed to a 30-day courtesy period after final adoption before ticketing begins. Staff said permit fees have not yet been set but should be revenue-neutral and cover administrative and enforcement costs.

Mayor Dutree moved to approve the ordinance for its first reading, including directions that enforcement be reactive, that staff implement an education campaign and a cure period before citations, and that the city manager have discretion to grant limited exceptions; Mayor Pro Tem Tim Martinez seconded. The motion passed on an electronic vote, 4-0. The ordinance will return for a second reading on Dec. 15.

The council also directed staff to work with the public-works committee on implementation details such as signage, online permit technology, and how to verify residency for guest permits. The measure does not change rules for oversized vehicles on private property.