Montgomery residents could park pickups and work vans, but not “heavy” commercial vehicles like construction trucks or recreational vehicles on residential streets overnight, under Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett’s suggested revisions to local parking laws.
“They block traffic, create safety conditions and in some ways, with so many of them in a it is a blight on the community,” Leggett said of large-size commercial vehicles.
Leggett’s on-street parking proposals are less stringent than those recommended over the summer by Council President Mike Knapp, who would have kept large work vans and smaller commercial trucks off most streets too.
The county executive would keep the large vehicles off all county streets unless they are abutted on both ends by commercial or industrial zones. The proposal allows exemptions for vehicles being used for work on properties, or unloading passengers, merchandise or materials.
The owners of small business — like air duct cleaning services or handyman operations that are run out of homes — complained that Knapp’s approach was too tough.
Knapp said he was pleased to see Leggett’s proposals, but concerned about differentiating between light and heavy commercial vehicles.
“One of the reasons we got down this road in the first place is subjective enforcement of our parking provisions, and we need to be careful of that,” Knapp said. “Debates over the type of trucks that are allowed could get us back to where we already are. I want it to be very clear for owners and people in the communities to know what’s OK and what’s not OK to park.”
Both Leggett and Knapp said it was important for the county to locate alternative parking for residents who own commercial vehicles. Knapp had hoped the county could negotiate a deal with the state highway administration to allow parking in underused “Park and Ride” lots, but Leggett’s staff said state officials rejected the idea.
The county executive’s recommended keeping the vehicles in privately owned storage facilities, or altering restrictions to allow overnight parking in industrial parks or office complexes.
