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Residents urge relief from sidewalk‑parking citations as police report 120 tickets
Summary
Residents told the Harvard City Council that vehicles parked across sidewalks to fit multiple cars in small driveways are triggering citations; the police chief said the department has issued about 120 tickets since enforcement began June 17 and recommended the council consider changes to the overnight parking ordinance or a permit system.
At a city council meeting, residents pressed elected officials to address parking citations issued when cars parked in driveways extend over sidewalks.
Samantha, a resident of Countrybrook who said she lives at 525 Meadow Lane, described garages she called effectively single‑car and said summer uses such as pools make driveway space tighter: “My garage says twocar. It is not…you pull one car in, you get another car in, that person can't get out.” She told the council that neighbors are receiving tickets when vehicles cross the sidewalk and asked for ‘‘open communication’’ to find a workable solution.
The police chief told the council the department began directed patrols after complaints and cited the state statute that prohibits parking on sidewalks (transcript referenced “625 LCS 511-303”) and the city ordinance that adopts that provision. He said enforcement began after complaints on June 17 and that officers have issued “120 citations since then,” adding that violations have been reported across multiple neighborhoods, including Park Point.
Council members and staff discussed policy options. The chief recommended the council review the city’s overnight street‑parking ban (2–5 a.m.), which the council can amend, or consider on‑street permit systems some municipalities use to allow paid overnight parking while preserving winter emergency restrictions. Planning and zoning setbacks for new subdivisions—identified in the discussion as a way to reduce future driveway crowding—were also raised, with at least one council member suggesting longer driveways or different UDO setbacks for new ‘‘snout’’ house designs.
Council did not take immediate action on the parking rules but several members recommended sending the matter to the Administration Committee for study and potential ordinance changes. The chief and staff said the committee process would allow assessment of legal limits (state law vs. local ordinance), snow‑emergency needs, and options such as permits or revised setback standards.
The council also noted staffing and enforcement resources: members said directed patrols and a planned downtown parking enforcement position would help with chronic downtown two‑hour parking complaints.
The council directed staff to place the parking topic on the Administration Committee agenda for further consideration; no ordinance changes were adopted at the meeting.
