Akron is once again tightening its residential parking regulations.
City Council will vote on a proposal Monday to allow neighborhood inspectors and police to ticket vehicles parked on vacant lots.
“It’s very unattractive,” said Councilman Donnie Kammer, who proposed the legislation along with council President Marilyn Keith. “This is a concern and a problem we need to fix.”
He said the change is needed to improve the quality of life in city neighborhoods.
If the legislation is approved — and there appears to be no opposition on the council — vehicle owners would face a $50 fine for a first offense and a $100 for follow-up infractions.
The plan is to issue warnings before tickets, Kammer said.
In the past few years, the city has made it illegal to park vehicles on front yards and on side lots.
It’s already illegal to park on vacant lots, but right now it’s a zoning violation. That means citations are sent to the property owner, who might not even own the vehicle or might live out of the area and be unaware of the problem.
It could take months before the parking issue is cleared up. The new legislation would address that.
Most residents who park on vacant lots don’t know that it’s illegal or just consider it convenient, Kammer said.
Resident Cheree Rafferty, who lives on Delia Avenue, said she doesn’t see a problem with parking on a vacant lot.
She parks her Chrysler 200 on a vacant plot of land across the street from her home. She noted that there’s limited parking in the area.
“Where do you go?” Rafferty asked. “I think you should be able to if you’re not using it for something else.”
The city has seen a rise in vacant lots in some neighborhoods as more dilapidated homes are being torn down. As a result, people have more of an opportunity to park on them.
“It seems like it’s a big issue out there,” said John Valle, city director of neighborhood assistance.
He said he often hears complaints at neighborhood meetings.
Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter at @armonrickABJ.