Commercial truck and parking regulations must be enforced.
To the editor:
I have noticed that the topic of commercial truck parking seems to be discussed about every three to four years and once again is in the news. The current code regarding commercial truck parking, along with boat, trailer and other vehicles must be enforced in order to maintain the economic value of RESIDENTIAL neighborhoods.
Whenever a law or regulation is not enforced, people tend to shift their behavior to whatever accommodates them and justify it in many different ways. The news always seems to find the “victims” and represent them as an oppressed majority. This is not the case at all. The majority are those that have to view commercial vehicles as well as trailers and cars parked in a manner that in some cases more closely resemble a junk yard than a residential neighborhood. The majority try to get along with their neighbors and hesitate to call code enforcement in fear of reprisal. The majority want residences that hold and increase in value because of the way the city is run.
The council needs to review and resolve the entire problem once and for all. The real problem is enforcement in a cost effective manner.
I have observed in one neighborhood two boat trailers, a commercial pressure washing rig and several cars parked on the front lawn of a residence. According to records, code cited the homeowner but the trailers and cars remained. The house with the trailers was placed on the market several months ago. It is now under contract. The price was reduced over $100,000 and will probably close around $120,000 below current market value. The initial asking price was not out of line with recent closed home sales. The most obvious reason would be the encumbrance of vehicles and the resulting damage to the property. Improper vehicle storage and commercial vehicle parking lowers the value of all properties in that neighborhood. This potentially reduces the taxable value of a neighborhood which impacts the operation of the city.
The economic loss to individuals and the city is a downward spiral.
Council needs to solve this issue by setting up a system that works. It’s not enough to pass regulations; the enforcement aspect needs to be workable as well so the intent of the regulation is fulfilled. A solution requires the identification of a problem, and sets a path in place to COMPLETELY resolve the issue. Not just passing laws and handing out notices in a haphazard fashion. The follow up process needs to resolve the violations in a timely manner. When people see what the enforced standard of behavior is then there is a shift in behavior.
The real problem is that there are not enough code enforcement personnel and the process to remediate the violations does not seem to have any follow through. Code enforcement cannot be a 9-5 Monday-through-Friday operation. Code enforcement needs to be 100% proactive. Waiting for neighbors to inform of a code violation is not workable. As long as people see irresponsible behavior not being corrected, it becomes the norm. If code enforcement cannot perform to the level required to enforce the regulations, then there needs to be a different way to get the job done.
I would propose that the city hire an outside contract agency to assist in performing code enforcement, just like the city contracted with a “red light” company for school zones to assist the police department. The city has outgrown many of its agencies and we cannot afford to continue to grow the city agencies with tax dollars especially if tax revenues could be depressed through devaluation of the properties. It is a cycle that must be broken.
Do the fines offset the expense of enforcement? They should. By contracting this aspect of code enforcement the size of the staff can grow and shrink in accordance with the amount of violations and be paid for through the fine process thereby not being a burden on the remaining law abiding citizens.
I am sorry for those that are thinking only of themselves when trying to figure out where to park their commercial vehicle, boats, trailers and cars. Our residential neighborhoods have always had a restriction on commercial parking. Change is hard especially when non enforcement of an issue tends to shift the norm of behavior but people need to realize why this is an issue that needs to be resolved. Code needs to protect each property owner and the financial health of the city.
J. Caplin
Cape Coral