DALTON, Ga. — Dalton resident Bobby Cartledge says a new city ordinance that forbids people from parking big commercial trucks in neighborhoods will cause him financia hardship.
“My wife has a lung disease called sarcoidosis,” said Mr. Cartledge, a big-rig driver who lives in Brookwood. “Now she’s got to get up at 4 a.m. to take me to work.”
Mr. Cartledge said because he is owner/operator, he will have to pay $50 a month to keep his truck in a garage.
The Cartledges lost the house they owned for 12 years in Resaca, Ga., and started renting in Brookwood in March. Before moving in, Mr. Cartledge said he checked to make sure there wasn’t an ordinance against parking commercial vehicles in neighborhoods.
He recently received a citation for violating the new ordinance. He says he’ll fight it in court.
Dalton Mayor David Pennington said the council is sympathetic to Mr. Cartledge’s position, but several residents complained and the council agreed big trucks should not be parked regularly in neighborhoods. He said other municipalities and Whitfield County have similar ordinances.
OTHER rules
Joann Middleton said the Brookwood Neighborhood Association has worked with city leaders to protect neighborhood property values and asthetic appeal in recent years. City ordinances address several of their concerns, such as grass height and exterior upkeep. The council has banned farm animals in the city, required removal of broken-down vehicles without current tags and limited the number of adults who can live in lower-density residential areas.
These ordinances, as well as the commercial vehicle ordinance, were discussed at a Brookwood Neighborhood meeting at City Hall last week.
Dalton Code Enforcement Officer Alan Parrish outlined all the residential ordinances. The council voted June 1 to give him authority to issue a citation if a violation recurs within a year. Before, he would have had to issue a warning first.
Mr. Parrish said in an interview the change will keep him from warning the same homes repeatedly. He said most residents support city rules to maintain the condition of their neighborhoods.
When he hands out citations, people often complain about being told what to do with their property, but only a handful complain of economic strain. Mr. Parrish said he tries to work with the residents to avoid fines that range from $200 to $1,000.
He noted two recent cases where residents have failed to comply with ordinances because of financial difficulties.
One homeowner can’t afford to fix his house after a tree fell on it. Another family recently was made to move out of a house because the number of adults exceeded the city’s ordinance.
Jerry Gonzalez, executive director of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, said Dalton might find “unintended consequences” by limiting the number of allowable residents as citizens reach out to help family and community members who may have lost jobs and homes during the recession.
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