Council revamping commercial vehicle policy next month

Merrillville residents who own boats, recreational vehicles and other big-ticket items have a reprieve from having to store them off their properties, at least for the next two weeks.

Additionally, the town’s Code Enforcement officer has been instructed to write only one warning ticket per violation until the Town Council’s Council Affairs committee makes its decision on how the town will want residents to store those items going forward, the committee decided during its Tuesday meeting. Currently, people in residential zoning districts shall not park “commercial vehicles over 6,000 pounds” on the street, and “trailers, boats, campers, recreational vehicles, or similar vehicles must be stored in a structure or location other than the front yard or driveway between the dates of October 31 and March 31,” according to town code.

The committee will be meeting at 4:30 p.m. December 12 to discuss the commercial vehicle ordinance and four others that it expects the full council to approve by the end of the year. Meanwhile, it did approve and simplify the following ordinances Monday:

Cars and vehicles must be no less than five feet from mailboxes on the street to make way for mowing and snow removal;

Pets in residential areas zoned R-1 and R-2 are defined as a combination of no more than three dogs and/or cats, kennels — commercial or otherwise — are prohibited. Also, chickens aren’t allowed in residential areas but can be kept in agricultural areas;

Recreational game equipment, such as basketball hoops, are allowed in driveways 12 feet away from the street and three feet away from the sidewalk; and cannot be left in the street; and

Residents can keep a dumpster in their driveway up to 14 days and enclosed storage boxes up to 21 days.