Police chief: Overnight street parking growing problem

Commissioners want to revisit ordinance

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Overnight street parking may soon be curbed in Mt. Lebanon, where commissioners on Monday discussed the issue at length.

After fielding numerous emails and calls about cars parked overnight on streets, commissioners said they wanted to revisit a 1977 ordinance that banned on-street parking from 2 to 6 a.m.

After a 2000 parking study showed that certain areas lacked enough parking, the municipality established overnight parking zones that cost $240 a year. By 2011, it was expanded with a provision to allow requests for onstreet parking for overnight guests and other special circumstances.

But now, police Chief Aaron Lauth said the special circumstances are being abused.

“We know that’s an issue,” said Chief Lauth, who pointed to a rising number of residents requesting permits. “Our list has grown from 60 to 75 vehicles on average per night to over 300 vehicles per night. People have figured out ways to get around the system.”

Chief Lauth suggested a new system that would provide a number of free passes for each vehicle and a requirement to pay after that. To discourage use, he suggested a cost that’s “unattractive” and higher than public parking rates.

The current broad language in the ordinance allows anyone to receive a permit online or by calling the police department, he said.

“If your policy exception is so wide open, then you really don’t have any policy at all,” Commissioner John Bendel said.

“That’s the compounding problem we’re seeing and it’s only going to get worse,” said Chief Lauth, who added the vast majority of requests come from residents with overnight guests.

If the ordinance is restricted, Mr. Bendel questioned whether an exception could be made for single family homeowners with hardships, such as those with no driveway.

“We have them, but they’re very minimal in number,” said municipal Manager Keith McGill about a handful of single family homes with no off-street parking options.

Most of those residents park in lots or designated areas near their homes.

“I suspect when this ordinance was first put in place, we’re talking about literally a different culture. We had single-vehicle households whereas now that’s probably less the case,” said Commissioner Craig Grella, who said he has