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After Hours Code Compliance
Starting in August Code Compliance will begin extending hours to concentrate on parking issues in neighborhoods. Code Compliance will be focusing on items such as parking on unimproved surfaces, parking vehicles across sidewalks, oversized and commercial vehicles, trailers on residential streets, and illegal home businesses. Below are some examples of the violations our inspectors will be looking for during this extended time of enforcement.
- Parking on Unimproved Surfaces
- Sidewalk Vehicle Encroachment
- Oversized, Commercial, and Modified Vehicles in Residentially Zoned Areas
- Trailers on the streets
- Illegal Home Businesses
City ordinance sets strict rules for parking surfaces in front, side, and back yards in residential areas. In general, the city’s rules are as follows:
- It is illegal to park any kind of vehicle (car, truck, boat, motorcycle, utility trailer, or recreational vehicle) on the grass or dirt.
- In a front yard, parking surfaces must either be concrete (5 inches thick) or interlocking concrete paving tiles on an approved sub-base.
- In a side or back yard, citizens may construct parking areas made of concrete, asphalt, or gravel (white rock or pea gravel 6 inches deep) held in place by an approved border such as treated lumber.
Due to the highly specific requirements, all residents and owners planning to construct a parking surface should contact the Building Inspection Department at 972-205-2300, and obtain a permit before construction.
Vehicles parked over the sidewalk pose hazards for pedestrians and other vehicles. At no time should vehicles be parked over the sidewalk.
Oversized vehicles are restricted in residential areas. Examples of oversized vehicles are a truck tractor, road tractor, semi-trailer, tow truck, passenger motor vehicle designed to carry more than 16 persons (including the driver), or any other modified vehicle with a manufacturer’s rating of 9,000 pounds gross vehicle weight or higher. The oversized vehicle is allowed in a residential area only if it is actively being used in the loading or delivery of passengers or goods. Recreational vehicles (motor homes, travel trailers, boats, and utility trailers less than 18 feet in length) must be parked on private property and not on the street.
Trailers (attached or unattached to a vehicle) of any size are prohibited from parking on public property unless providing a service to a residence.
Several rules apply to businesses that are conducted from the home:
- All business must be conducted indoors, by a person residing in the home.
- The business may not offer goods for sale or display on the premises.
- The business may not require the delivery or shipment of goods from the residence.
- Outside storage of materials or equipment connected with the home business is prohibited.
- The use of signs connected with the home occupation is prohibited on the property.
- The business may not create noise, odor, light, smoke, a need for additional parking, or a substantial increase in traffic.
Specific prohibited home occupations and activities include vehicle sales and/or the repair of vehicles other than those owned by the home owner or tenant, a wrecker, limousine or taxi service and animal breeding.