Proposal to ban lawn-parking

[sevfiv]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/4904456.html

A proposed city law would make it illegal to park in your front yard. But if you simply slapped down some pavement over the grass, then it would be fine.

The draft ordinance, which is still being tweaked, shows how difficult it is to regulate a practice that some call a private right, and others consider a communal eyesore.

[musicman]

i spoke with several councilmembers on this last week and some pics i took evidently were crucial to the point of pulling it last week. in theory, i like the idea. execution is another matter. this was poorly written and left loopholes where it was basically ineffective. i haven't seen the latest changes, but i'll bet there will still be a number of ways you can get around it.

[Mr. Chenevert]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/4904456.html

You dont even have to pave it... as Christoph pointed out in his blog last week, in the ordinance, driveway is defined as any area that is primarily used for parking cars. And it also says that driveways are exempt from the ordinance.

So as I see it, if you use a portion of your front yard as a primary spot to park cars, you are legal.

What a badly written oridance.

[Guest danax]

The last draft I saw allowed 350 sq ft (35 x 10) of the front yard to be paved. That's 70% of the width of a typical city lot. So much for permeability of rainwater.

We have lots of front yard parking in our nabe but the mass paving that might occur if enforcement was attempted would be hideous, and I have no doubt that that is exactly what would happen.

[Pumapayam]

Reminds me of the scene in the movie "Crash", where Don Cheadle's character asked his Latina girlfriend, "Who taught all those cultures how to park their cars in the front yard!"

That cracked me up!

Edited June 20, 2007 by Pumapayam

[RedScare]

Here is a quote from the comments section of the article...

Not only does it look tacky and decreases property values but it says "nothing but trash" lives in that home and neighborhood.

And, this is exactly the problem I have with the ordinance. It is not the City's job to legislate "tacky" and "nothing but trash". While parking on lawns may be unsightly, there needs to be a legitimate reason to regulate it. "Tacky" is not legitimate. In case no one has noticed, yard parking is prevalent in the Heights as well, but few complain, because most pave the area (usually the City's ROW) to look respectable.

If the proposed ordinance addresses real issues, such as ruts that collect water that breed mosquitoes, or environmental issues, I am OK with it. But, if it is just the taste police, that is a road we do not want to go down. We don't need taste dictated to us, especially when too many people think "tasteful" is the bland, monotonous landscape found in master planned communities. That is not tasteful...it is boring.

[MidtownCoog]

Ole Red, taking up for acting all ghetto...

Viva la ghetto!

[TexasArchitect]

i'm all for it!!! imo this comment alone makes all the sence to support it

Supporters of the ban claim that cars parked in yards depress property values, leak oil and fluids into the soil, and damage grass,

Edited June 20, 2007 by TexasArchitect

[MidtownCoog]

Kill the grass?

Yard-parking scuzballs don't have grass. They have dirt.

Edited June 20, 2007 by MidtownCoog

[Vertigo58]

trucks too

Edited July 6, 2007 by Vertigo58

[sevfiv]

one example of yard-parking i witnessed was a neighbor across the way - there must have been six or seven cars regularly parked at that house (lined up the driveway and all over the yard).

yes, it was ugly, and the "yard" was a dump, but like Red mentioned, something subjective like tacky-control is hard to justifiably legislate.

there were quite a few folks living there, though, in a pretty small house

Edited June 20, 2007 by sevfiv

[musicman]

there were quite a few folks living there, though, in a pretty small house

this is also subjective. the city stays away from things like this.

[Vertigo58]

one example of yard-parking i witnessed was a neighbor across the way - there must have been six or seven cars regularly parked at that house (lined up the driveway and all over the yard).

yes, it was ugly, and the "yard" was a dump, but like Red mentioned, something subjective like tacky-control is hard to justifiably legislate.

there were quite a few folks living there, though, in a pretty small house

Community activists will be up in arms, just watch. Turn into race card issue. Here we go again.

[RedScare]

Actually, the number of vehicles parked on a yard can be the type of objective criteria that the City's attorneys love. However, under the tastefulness criteria that most neighbors want, ANY vehicles on the grass is bad. I don't doubt that with a little creativeness, the City could come up with a non-prejudicial reason for wanting the cars off the yard. But, it is likely not to please the taste police, since solutions like paving or gravel would still allow front parking.

[MidtownCoog]

Only in Houston can you find people who don't seem to mind "yard parking".

Houston - Be Yourself!

[RedScare]

Community activists will be up in arms, just watch. Turn into race card issue. Here we go again.

Well, when comments like THIS are made...

Deez will include de Taco Truck too, yes?

complete with the Mexican inflection, how could they NOT think it is racial/ethnic? You know, you can't make every single topic into a racial or ethnic slur, then complain that people think you are racist. Frankly, your comments ARE racist. You sound like the guy that starts a fight, then claims self defense. You can't have it both ways.

[MidtownCoog]

Looks like Austin has a process where neighborhoods can request to be in the "no yard parking" zone.

https://www.ci.austin.tx.us/zoning/front_yd_parking.htm

As of August 2002, neighborhoods going through the Neighborhood Planning Process can also decide whether or not to allow front yard parking in their areas. See below for more information and for an application. Applications will only be accepted during the month of February each year.

[Vertigo58]

Well, when comments like THIS are made...

complete with the Mexican inflection, how could they NOT think it is racial/ethnic? You know, you can't make every single topic into a racial or ethnic slur, then complain that people think you are racist. Frankly, your comments ARE racist. You sound like the guy that starts a fight, then claims self defense. You can't have it both ways.

Verrry interesting for a person that takes pride in having a quote from Hitler ze furor, as his signature? See the irony?

Don't you think that would be offensive to Jewish folk? not insensitive? Zieg Heil!

as little Anne Frank once said "Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart"

I still think your really a nice guy too.

[west20th]

Verrry interesting for a person that takes pride in having a quote from Hitler ze furor, as his signature? See the irony?

Don't you think that would be offensive to Jewish folk? not insensitive? Zieg Heil!

as little Anne Frank once said "Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart"

I still think your really a nice guy too.

I think you missed the point of that quote in RS's signature. Quoting someone doesn't necessarily honor them.

Edited June 20, 2007 by west20th

[Vertigo58]

I think you missed the point of that quote in RS's signature. Quoting something doesn't necessarily honor them.

[Guest Marty]

Who going to enforce this new law? I know HPD has more important things to do than regulate eyesores.

[musicman]

Who going to enforce this new law? I know HPD has more important things to do than regulate eyesores.

LOL this is so true. probably like the homeless ordinance which isn't enforced.

[Guest Marty]

I think you missed the point of that quote in RS's signature. Quoting someone doesn't necessarily honor them.

I agree its just a reminder to everyone out there today like it was in the early 1940's but we as a country we did not listen, history likes to repeat it self .

Edited June 21, 2007 by Marty

[MidtownCoog]

Who cares about Hitler and silly poser cool guy quotes? We all know the best quotes are one's own.

Back on topic...

So today even The Chron has symathy for yard parkers: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/4907274.html

Sounds like it's cool to yard park as long as you are economically and culturally diverse. And we all know what that means.

[houstonmacbro]

Reminds me of the scene in the movie "Crash", where Don Cheadle's character asked his Latina girlfriend, "Who taught all those cultures how to park their cars in the front yard!"

That cracked me up!

And she wasn't even Mexican (which was his inference).

Edited June 21, 2007 by houstonmacbro

[westguy]

Hitler liked to park his car on the lawn.

[jm1fd]

Hitler liked to park his car on the lawn.

That crazy Hitler and his cars (link to hilarious YouTube video, SFW)

Edited June 21, 2007 by jm1fd

[RedScare]

Hitler seen flouting the new City of Houston lawn parking ordinance, by ingeniously placing pavement only under the treads of his Panzer at the Berghof residence, located on the Near Eastside.

[MidtownCoog]

Well if you follow my mantra for Houston lawn parking is cool. Are that many people doing it? I know the townhome trend is eating up a lot of street parking.

As I kid I remember my Dad doing shade tree mechanic stuff. But they always put the car back in the drive when he was done.

[houstonmacbro]

What about the people that have semi rural property (but still in the city limits)...? Will this apply to them as well? Or is this just for city dwellers in sub divisions?