+ CITY NEWS
Syracuse City Updates Council Adopts New Rules for On-Street Parking P
No Overnight Parking During Winter Months The Syracuse City Council approved a change to its onstreet parking ordinance on February 9th. The ordinance now requires all vehicles to be parked off the street between the hours of 12 midnight and 6 a.m. from November 15 to March 15. This is consistent with the ordinances of neighboring jurisdictions and is intended to increase the efficiency of snow removal efforts, as well as prevent nuisance behavior by those parking numerous vehicles on roads on a regular basis. The council discussed these changes at length in their January work session. The previous code only prohibited (and still does) parking on the road during the accumulation or removal of snow on a road – meaning that if it was snowing or the snowplows were out, the cars needed to be off the road. Those who traditionally use the road for overnight parking have been caught off-guard by an unexpected snowstorm during the night. This ordinance removes the guesswork from whether to leave your car on the road overnight during the winter or not – from now on, just don’t do it.
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48-hour Limit for On-Street Parking Additionally, the council has introduced a restriction against parking for more than forty-eight hours at a time on city streets. This applies during all twelve months of the year. The reasoning behind this change included keeping inoperable or abandoned vehicles off the road, avoiding the nuisance of single residences monopolizing multiple parking locations, and increasing safety by removing visual barriers for pedestrians and drivers. The limit is applicable to all public roads within the city, including
cul-de-sacs. State roads are governed by state law, which has as similar prohibition. The ordinance removed a prior stipulation which permitted inoperable vehicles to be parked for up to seven days on the road. They are now treated like any other vehicle and must be relocated off-street within forty-eight hours.
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Heavy Truck Parking Heavy vehicles, such as semi-trucks, may not be parked for longer than either twenty-four hours if they are between 10,000 pounds and 26,000 pounds of total gross weight, or longer than two hours if they exceed 26,000 pounds. This prohibition only extended to residential zones previously, but abuses in the commercial areas were leading to safety and nuisance concerns by property owners whose area was reportedly inundated with semitrucks (with no connection to the businesses nearby) parking for long periods of time. The intent of this ordinance is not to prevent business from occurring – deliveries and moving trucks may continue as usual.
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Enforcement Most of our parking enforcement is driven by complaints from citizens. We will be pro-active in enforcement during active snowplow operations, due to the increased risk of injury or damage associated with cars parking on roads being plowed. However, a lack of city-wide compliance or enforcement is not a defense to a parking ticket. Where possible, the city will attempt to warn and give additional notice to drivers who may not be aware of these changes. Please be patient with our ordinance enforcement officials as they work to gain voluntary compliance.
COMMUNITY QUESTION CORNER BY PAUL ROBERTS, CITY ATTORNEY
QUESTION: Who do I contact if I have an idea or concern with Syracuse’s government or ordinances? Answer: Have a great idea that will increase quality of life in Syracuse? Concerned about an ordinance? We are happy to hear from you. But who is the right person to contact? Generally, concerns about the enforcement of existing laws are conveyed to the city department head that oversees that enforcement. If unsatisfied with their response, then you can raise those issues with the city manager or mayor. But when an issue involves an ordinance, or if you have an idea for a new program for the city, your city council are the
best contacts. Councilmembers set policy for the city, approve the budget, and enact ordinances. We have five councilmembers, all of whom are elected at large – meaning they serve all citizens of the city without geographical districts. You may contact any one of them (or all of them) if you have a suggestion. No need to be shy; they are responsive and appreciate your input. You may provide public comment during any of their bi-weekly council meetings. Also, direct contact information for the City Council is currently found on our website at: www.syracuseut. gov/Directory.aspx?did=25
Do you have a community question? Submit your question to proberts@syracuseut.com.
March 2021 | syracuseconnection.com 5
