Orchard Park board moves to draft townwide ordinance limiting oversized trailers after safety complaints

Residents urged the Town of Orchard Park to tighten rules on oversized vehicles and trailer parking after multiple complaints about safety and congestion. Charles Messina, who identified himself as a town prosecutor and public-safety committee member, said a trailer parked on Independence Drive ‘‘takes up about 0.5 of the road’’ and blocks sightlines for drivers and pedestrians, and he urged the board to consider an ordinance like West Seneca’s to prevent future hazards.

Board members agreed there is a problem that requires a townwide approach rather than street‑by‑street fixes. One board member summarized the staff plan: ‘‘We are going to mimic, the village has a code. Hamburg Village has a code. Lancaster, where they prohibit those type of vehicles to be parked on this, town road at all,’’ and said staff are drafting language that preserves narrow exceptions for short‑term work such as landscaping or construction. The board asked that the town prosecutor review proposed text for enforceability before the town schedules a public hearing.

The discussion also addressed a temporary event exception near the stadium: board members described a 48‑hour grace period for event parking in the stadium area but said they will refine spacing and emergency‑access requirements after consulting the fire department. The board said they will notify residents when the draft ordinance and public‑hearing date are set.