The Midland city council approved an ordinance that took effect this month that allows the city to enforce no truck parking signage on private commercial property with fines up to $500.City officials in Midland, Texas, established a new ordinance this month that could further inhibit truckers’ parking options in the oil-boom town.
The new ordinance, which went into effect on Oct. 1 after being unanimously approved by the city council on Sept. 11, gives business owners the ability to prohibit truck parking on their property with enforcement provided by the city. The ordinance allows the city to fine truckers parked in posted no parking zones on commercial property up to $500.
“Should the property owner choose to prohibit parking (either by type of vehicle or by hours or days permitted), the ordinance authorizes the city to enforce parking prohibitions on private property in the same manner that it enforces ordinances regulating parking in public no-parking zones,” said Elana Ladd, public information officer for Midland. “Property owners who elect such enforcement must post clearly marked signs.”
Midland already had on the books an ordinance that prohibits vehicles with more than two axles from parking on public streets, alleys or private property in residential districts except while loading or unloading. The only exceptions are trucks with less than a ton in rated capacity that are shorter than 22 feet.
The ordinance was proposed by city councilman J. Ross Lacy, who during a news report with YourBasin.com, called trucks parked at a local Walmart despite no truck parking signs “completely disgusting.”
“We’ve got to have this amended, the ordinance, so we can start going after them on commercial properties,” Lacy said in the report. “It’s just completely disgusting. Obviously it’s posted, but we don’t have an ordinance where we can go after and enforce them with the police department.”
Lacy went on to say the city needs to “step up our enforcement” and have laws that allow police to “start going after these 18-wheelers.”
