Valley council discusses range of options for truck parking

About a dozen people showed up Tuesday evening to hear the Spokane Valley City Council debate possible restrictions on parking of semitrucks, tractors and trailers in residential neighborhoods.

City attorney Cary Driskell presented four options for reworking the parking code in the public right-of-way in residential areas:

• Leave the code as it’s written and rely on the enforcement of existing laws.

• Prohibit any tractor, commercial trailer over 27 feet or a combination of the two from parking there for more than three hours.

• Prohibit any commercial vehicle longer than 22 feet from parking there for more than three hours.

• And finally, prohibit any vehicle longer than 22 feet – including recreational vehicles – from parking there.

Driskell’s presentation was followed by a lively discussion, including questions about how a restrictive ordinance would negatively impact local businesses, and whether it would hurt tow truck drivers who sometimes are required to take their vehicles home with them.

Every council member spoke of emails and letters received about this topic, though it appears only one formal complaint has been logged with city staff.

Mayor Dean Grafos weighed in last, proposing yet another variation of code language: This option would prohibit any vehicle longer than 22 feet from parking on the public right-of-way in residentially zoned areas. It would also prohibit commercial vehicles, including tractors and semi-trailers, from parking on private property in residential areas.

“I’m pro business but not at the expense of our neighborhoods,” Grafos said. “Common sense, safety and the preservation of our neighborhoods and our quality of life makes this an easy decision for me.”

The City Council agreed to move forward discussing Grafos’ proposal and what became known as option two: Prohibit any tractor or commercial trailer over 27 feet, or a combination of the two, from parking in the public right-of-way.

As Tuesday’s meeting was a study session, no public testimony was allowed.

The truck parking regulations will be back on the agenda on Oct. 28 at which time public testimony will be allowed.

Driskell said the wording of the proposed options is not set in stone, and that a final ordinance would have to allow for common sense exemptions for emergency vehicles, moving trucks and construction vehicles.

“Notification of truckers would have to be part of this too,” Driskell said.

He suggested a six or nine month phase-in of a new ordinance so truckers have plenty of warning and time to make different parking arrangements if needed.