Proposed Ordinance Would Eliminate Parking In Front Yards

By Gordon HopkinsAfter considerable debate, the Fairbury Planning and Zoning Commission voted to approve proposed changes to parking ordinances that would prohibit parking in front yards in the city limits, except on an improved surface. The Planning and Zoning Commission does not have the authority to change ordinances but only make recommendations. That recommendation will then go to the Fairbury City Council, which will decide whether or not to enact the proposed changes. The proposal was sent to the council for a vote Tuesday evening, September 16, after press time. FJN will report the results of the vote in the next edition.The commission met Monday, September 8, to discuss the most recent changes to the proposal.Development Services Director Laura Bedlan said at the meeting, “So, at the last meeting, the committee had requested that we review this with the attorney again and only make it specific to front yards and to clarify the surfaces, which we did.” The proposed amendment to § 72.20 of the Fairbury Municipal Code reads, “No motor vehicle shall be parked or stored in the front yard, or adjacent right-of-way, of any residential use lot except on an improved surface driveway or other improved surface.”The amendment also defines improved surface, “For purposes of this section, ‘improved surface’ shall mean a hard surface area maintained with materials, including, but not limited to, concrete, pavement, asphalt, brick, or gravel, sufficient to prevent mud, dust, or loose debris.”Commission member Kathy Klein asked about residents who park on the front yard rather than in the street because they are physically unable to walk from the curb to the front door, “So, what do you do for a case like that? Can we have an exception, or are exceptions bad?”Bedlan responded, “Well, we do make exceptions for people with handicap permits on a lot of things.” This proposal, in one form or another, has been under consideration for more than a year. One of the issues that has prevented the proposal from going ahead has been concerns over the possible cost to residents. Commission member Devin Lovgren said, “I still struggle with making people put an improved surface at their house, because it’s undue burden on individuals who can’t afford it.” Commissioner member Jason Nimmich raised another concern. He asked, “You’re stating that if the front area of the residential house is paved, then parking vehicles is permitted?”Bedlan confirmed, “As long as there’s an improved surface there, parking vehicles are permitted.”Nimmich suggested limiting how much residents could pave.“If you just think of all concrete,”said Nimmich. “I guess if I had any thoughts, it would be like up to 50 percent of a front lawn could be paved, but not more than that because 100 percent of the front lawn, all concrete bricks or whatever…”Lovgren said, “It would look like Arizona.”“If you want to make an ordinance about how much of the property can be paved. We would need to look at planning and zoning,” explained Bedlan. “It would be a different ordinance. We would have to discuss that separately.” Since it was not on the agenda, no vote could be held on limiting how much property can be paved.Fairbury City Councilperson Charlie Endorf spoke at the meeting. He said, “My whole thing is, we just keep kicking this can down the road, and at some point, can we clean this town up? Can we do some things that people don’t like? I don’t like paying income tax. We pay it.”Only five members of the eight-member commission were present, which was enough for a quorum. All five voted to recommend the new parking ordinance.

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