Council OKs hydrant-side parking ban

Avon Lake City Council approved legislation Dec. 11 to ban parking on the hydrant side of streets.

The ordinance championed by Ward 4 Councilman David Kos, chair of the safety committee, said the move will bring the city in line with the majority of communities across northeast Ohio, improving access for emergency vehicles and other large autos on Avon Lake streets.

The legislation passed 6-1.

The legislation will apply to all city streets, but Kos reiterated it does not apply to parking on tree lawns.

The initiative stemmed from a joint request from Avon Lake fire Chief Chris Heurner, Avon Lake police Chief Duane Streator and Public Works Director Joe Reitz.

“This is a safety issue,” Reitz said. “When we all need that emergency vehicle to get to us or get to a neighbor’s house as soon as possible, we want to make sure they have the access they need to get through there.

“This will provide that ordinance to regulate that and control that. Overall, this is about public safety. This will help our community follow what many other communities already have in place.”

The city will use Avon Lake Community Television, its website and Facebook page to educate the community about the new regulations.

Kos said the Avon Lake Police Department intends to use a soft enforcement approach in the early stages.

“They will attempt to contact the owners of the vehicles and ask them to voluntarily move their vehicle,” he said.

“There will be an educational grace period where the Police Department will do a soft enforcement on this until the community is educated on it.”

In his dissent, Ward 1 Councilman Rob James said he preferred an alternative approach to parking.

“I’m not in favor of this ordinance,” James said. “This is a one-size-fits-all solution, and I would prefer a more targeted approach to parking in the city.”

In other business, Council approved motions authorizing $20,000 in sports affiliate grants from the parks and recreation department to six athletic and community organizations including the Avon Lake Soccer Organization ($11,000), Avon Lake Swim Team ($5,000) and $1,000 each to the Avon Lake Lacrosse Club, Avon Lake Women’s Chorus, Avon Lake Wrestling Club and Avon Lake Football Club.

The grants come following recommendations from the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission.

Council also introduced new legislation to extend a moratorium to prohibit the granting of building permits or use for the purpose of cultivation, processing or sale of medical marijuana.

If approved, the legislation would extend Avon Lake’s municipal policy which dates back to October 2017, citing a need to provide for the city to finalize the re-write of its planning and zoning codes.

The planning and zoning re-write is not expected to be completed until February.

If passed by Council on Dec. 17, the moratorium would be extended to June 30, 2019.