The city of Red Bank is preparing to assert more control over what residents do with their cars.
At its June 18 agenda work session, the City Commission discussed on-street parking issues as well as the city’s inoperable vehicle ordinance.
Mayor John Roberts complained that streets such as his own, Martin Road, get very narrow when cars are parked on the side of the road.
“It’s almost like a one-way street,” he said.
Vice Mayor Floy Pierce pointed out that when cars park on certain streets, fire trucks would be unable to reach homes located there.
She suggested that in the case of renters who park on the street, notices be given to the owner of the home instead of the renter.
“That would help us, I think, to solve a lot of the problem,” she said.
City Manager Randall Smith said the city cannot fine the owner of the property for something they did not do, adding that the real problem is not even the tenants, who typically have off-street parking, but rather when the tenants have guests.
Possible solutions brought up include increasing the cost of tickets for cars parked on the street.
Commissioners also discussed amending the city’s inoperable vehicle ordinance to require that all vehicles parked outside of a garage or carport on a property be registered, in addition to other, already existing, requirements. Currently the ordinance requires that vehicles be able to start on their own and move backward and forward but says nothing of the vehicle having to be registered.
Public Works Director Tim Thornbury said the problem of abandoned vehicles is scattered throughout the city.
Commissioner Eddie Pierce asked if the amended ordinance would apply to vehicles parked in garages, to which Thornbury replied “no.”
“This just gives us a little extra hose to try to clean it up,” said Thornbury.