By Elektra Kruger

Overnight street parking of large commercial and recreational vehicles has steadily increased over the
years. Off-street storage can be costly and inconvenient, but blight and safety issues arise when these vehicles are parked on City streets.
When parked on public streets, these large vehicles are easy targets for vandals, graffiti “artists” and frequently block driver sight-lines creating serious traffic hazards. In 2006, the Los Angeles City Council adopted an Ordinance prohibiting altogether, or during the hours of 2:00am to 6:00am, the parking of oversized vehicles on certain City streets.
However, to implement these overnight parking restrictions, signs must be fabricated and posted referencing the Ordinance. This is a process that could take months or even longer. Another option would be to implement an outright Citywide ban on large vehicles parking overnight on City streets which would greatly reduce the time and resources necessary to implement individual oversize parking restriction districts.
In early October 2016, Councilmember Nury Martinez submitted a Motion to City Council asking that they request the City Attorney and the Department of Transportation to prepare and present a report to the Council on the feasibility of implementing such a Citywide ban. The Motion was referred to the City Council’s Transportation Committee for their review and recommendations. It has been collecting dust there since October 2016 and has not been read, reviewed or acted upon.
Editor’s Note: Electra Kruger is a community activist, serves on the STNC Land Use Committee and writes for the NVR.