City officials mulling amendment to city parking ordinance

El Dorado city officials are considering a proposed amendment to a 36-year-old city ordinance that prohibits the parking of vehicles on city streets and rights-of-way.

Ordinance 1376, which was adopted July 7, 1983, and the proposed amendment are tied to an ongoing effort by the El Dorado City Council and El Dorado Planning and Zoning Commission to clarify another city ordinance: 1773, which bans the parking or storing of vehicles “on the grass in a yard between the residence and the street right of way, except upon improved areas which comprise the driveway” on a prescribed list of main arterial and collector streets in residential areas throughout the city.

Both the council and P&Z commission discussed the matter in meetings, including a joint meeting, in the spring.

During a meeting in May, council members noted that families with multiple vehicles may live on a single household, forcing residents to park in available space, including in front yards where the practice is prohibited and on city streets.

Council Member Paul Choate said then that

most public streets in El Dorado were built during the “one-car family” era.

Council members Judy Ward also pointed out that the streets that are included in Ordinance 1773 were measured when the ordinance was passed in the late 2000s and deemed “wide enough” to allow for the passage of emergency vehicles if private vehicles are parked along the side of the road.

City Attorney Henry Kinslow has since recommended amendments to Ordinance 1376 to include a state code that regulates the matter and best practice standards from the National Fire Protection Association.

Per NFPA information that was provided by Fire Chief Chad Mosby, “Roadways shall have a minimum clear width of 12 feet for each lane of travel, excluding shoulders and parking.”

“Currently, we don’t have anything that regulates curbside parking,” Mosby said.

“It’s my concern that if they do update the city ordinance, that it addresses any curbside parking,” he continued, adding, “I want to provide as much information as possible. Some streets were not built to those standards before that code was passed and I hope that curbside parking is allowed only on streets that have the appropriate width.”

Mosby said that not only does parking on city streets pose a risk for emergency vehicles, but vehicles parked in yards and next to houses can also hinder emergency services.

Referring the NFPA standards and Arkansas code 27-51-1302 — which prohibits stopping, standing and parking in certain places —, Kinslow noted that Choate previously expressed concern that some streets in El Dorado are so narrow, that the NFPA standards and state regulations regarding length and width do not apply.

“Do we just grandfather them in or what?” Choate asked during a recent city council meeting.

Kinslow said he could tweak the proposed amendment with verbiage that includes streets to which the amendment would be applicable.

He also said the city is already enforcing components of the state law, which prohibits parking in several areas, including on sidewalks, in front of a public or private driveway, within an intersection, within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, in a crosswalk, etc.

Both state law and ordinance 1376 allow for parking in prohibited areas if permitted by law enforcement officers, only when a vehicle is not impeding or hazardous to traffic flow.

The city ordinance also makes exceptions for vehicles or equipment belonging to the municipality or utility companies.

Parking on city streets is also permitted, per the city ordinance, during the loading or unloading of household goods, construction materials or equipment for a residence that abuts a city right-ofway.

Kinslow asked council members to review the information as they consider an amendment to ordinance 1376.