RICHMOND HEIGHTS: City considers allowing trucks to park on street
The revised language could make it possible for residents to park personal trucks on the streets while still prohibiting the parking of commercial trucks. As the ordinance is written now, it is illegal to park any type of truck on a Richmond Heights street for more than an hour on any day of the week.
City voters in 1996 rejected a revision to the truck ban that would have allowed parking of trucks "rated three-quarter ton or less with no commercial designation."Police Chief Rick Vilcek said police don't often issue tickets to workers whose trucks are parked in front of a home they are working on, even if the truck is parked for longer than an hour. Council members have expressed concern that the ordinance is applied inequitably and that some people receiving tickets are angry when they don't see the ordinance applied to other truck owners.
District 2 Councilman Jim Thomson suggested allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to vote on the non-binding resolution and then add their votes to the ones cast during the regular election. He said it might make an excellent high school civics project.
Mayor James Beck agreed the idea could work but said someone would have to be in charge of verifying the ages and votes cast by the high school students.
The council has until the county election board's Aug. 28 deadline to decide whether to place a revised ordinance on the November ballot.
