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Parking issue with a broken down car
05/21/2010 6:49 AM by John M
A reader writes in looking for some suggesitons:
There is very little parking where I live as it is, and for the past 2 weeks, 1.5 parking spaces have been taken up a broken down car. I know I have seen big orange stickers on cars in the past, basically demanding that the car be moved, and I am interested in calling as the car is parked RIGHT in front of my house and I live with someone who is handicapped.
You can put in a request via Citizen’s Request page on the city site, which might lead to something being done sometime this summer…
As to the broken down car, I think I would call the police non-emergency number at 646-5100 and complain. If the car has been there for ten days or longer, it’s considered abandoned; they can put one of those orange stickers on it, and tow it a few days later.
As to your handicapped roommate, if you want a space labeled handicapped parking, that might be something to approach thru the citizen’s request site. I’ve seen two handicapped parking places around here, I think, one is on Broad as I recall, somewhere near the Hill Cafe, and the other is on Marshall in the 2300 block fairly close to the bus stop on the northeast corner at 23rd St. I’m not sure what is involved in getting a space designated. Perhaps if you call 646-0999 and work thru the menu, you can figure out who to actually speak to at the city. If you are really interested in having a space designated handicapped, post back – I actually know the person on Marshall St. who has one, I could call and ask how to go about it.
I believe that it’s done through VDOT. I’ll see is I can find the form on line and post it here.
I surprised you are not working through your police sector lieutenant. I don’t know him (not from your district), but I have seen him quoted on this site; the sector lieutenants are a valuable resource and always helpful. For information on the handcapped parking spot, try calling the city traffic engineer, Tom Flynn, at 646-3435. By the way, the 646-0999 numbers is several years old. Use the Call Center number 3-1-1, and wait out the menu until you get a person.
With parking in Church Hill being what it is, I have often wondered about the legality of boats being parked on the street. I know of at least two boats that have been parked (on different streets) for at least a year. These boats take up more space than a car. Does anyone know what the law is?
kaykay, you could try searching through the Richmond City Ordinance: http://search.municode.com/html/16118/index.htm
I skimmed through and didn’t find info about boats parked on the street, but there is a lot to read when it comes to vehicles and roadways.
David #3 – I use the 646-0999 number because when I am at work, our telephone system won’t let me call 311 (not sure why, but it won’t). The -0999 number still works fine, and I use it to report things like pot holes, etc. I can only use 311 from my home phone, which isn’t helpful during the day and they don’t answer it at night when I’m home.
WRT #4, I own a boat that I park on the streets in Church Hill. In the past after reading through the city code and talking to the police dept., it was my understanding that it is perfectly legal to park a boat on the street, provided that you comply with all the other applicable parking laws (operable, registration up-to-date, not parked in a no parking zone, etc.). Apparently it is that last one that gets most boats parked on city streets towed: failure to move them during street cleaning which means they are parked in a no parking zone. Even though it would be legal, I don’t park the boat in front of my house because it might piss off my neighbors. Instead I keep it on a ‘side’ street where I’ve rarely seen anyone park.