Aurora City Council on Monday approved its much-debated parking ban, limiting parking on certain residential lots.
Under the terms of the new law, parking will be prohibited in front yards under one acre in size unless the vehicles are parked on existing hard surfaces or existing or approved driveways. Exceptions will be made for people who have obtained prior permission from city police to park in “impermissible” places for more than 24 hours.
City Law Director Dean DePiero stated previously that the new law is aimed at repeat offenders and said police would only issue parking tickets after trying to caution residents or their visitors as to where they can and can’t park.
People who are loading or unloading their campers, bikes or boats after excursions need not worry, Council Member Scott Wolf added. DePiero said the city will work with people who own corner lots.
All mechanically powered vehicles — cars, vans, trucks, motorcycles, scooters and golf carts — would be covered by the new ordinance, he said.
The matter came to council’s attention via Chatham Drive resident Deborah Rudy-Lack, who told council members on Feb. 13 that she did not propose the parking ban to create hardship for anyone. However, residents parking vehicles on front lawns in subdivisions with small lots is “egregious,” she said.
Correction: An earlier version of this story reported that council members were divided over boats would be covered under the ordinance. This was included in a previous article about this subject but is no longer relevant.
Wendy DiAlesandro is a former Record Publishing Co. reporter and contributing writer for The Portager.