SHREVEPORT (AP) — The City Council has sharply raised fines for residents who park vehicles in their yards.
Under action approved this past week, violators could be fined at least $100.
The current law is not specific to yard parking. Officers issue the same ticket of $15 fine for illegal parking anywhere in the city.
The law goes into effect June 1. A first-time offense nets a $100 fine. Subsequent offenses are $300 and $525.
The council approved the action with Michael Corbin, Ron Webb, Sam Jenkins, Oliver Jenkins and Jeff Everson in favor. Joe Shyne voted no, and Rose McCulloch abstained.
“Some communities, such as Cherokee Park, they have room on the streets to park. In the MLK area, they don’t have but one or two places to park,” McCulloch said. “They’re parking illegally when they really don’t have anywhere else to park. I abstain because I don’t want to appear as if I favor one community over another.”
Everson, who represents the Highland neighborhood, said the proposal had a “generous definition that would allow somebody using landscaping, yard timbers or edging that divides to show where they intend to park in their yard, and then they are able to do that legally.”
Caddo Heights resident Willie Taylor runs a body shop and sometimes parks overflow cars at his home.
He was visited by property standards officers and has moved 15 vehicles from his yard and a nearby vacant lot.
“The city should give people more room to park,” Taylor said. “The houses are too close together, and there’s no room. They need to check they self before they’re so hard on everyone else.”
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Information from: The Times, http://www.shreveporttimes.com