Need to maintain parking spaces for disabled raised by trustee Beck

By Bob Balgemann

Reporter

The village is working on a text amendment to Chapter 12 of its Motor Vehicles and Zoning Code, addressing the parking of vehicles in residential areas.

As part of discussion at the May 4 Planning and Economic Development Committee (PED) meeting, members revisited a concern raised by Trustee Erick Beck on April 6. It was brought back by Community Development Director James Richter II.

Trustee Beck said he raised that question “because it seems to me that maintenance of handicapped-access parking stalls is lacking. They (businesses, companies) let their signs dilapidate; marking on the pavement is bad. If there’s anything we should be doing as a village it is to make it safe for people who have to use this kind of parking.”

His request will be considered by staff.

He also had another question, about the proposed time frame for parking recreational vehicles and boats on properties around town.

Staff was recommending it only be allowed from Memorial Day to Labor Day. But Beck said, “From my experience people usually rent their storage spaces from mid-October to mid-April. Then they bring the vehicles home and get them ready for the camping season. So I request that someone on the (PED) committee amend that to from April 15 to Oct. 15.”

Director Richter said he had no objections to that proposal. Ultimately, in a unanimous voice vote, the committee recommended approval of the amendment.

There also was another amendment, which had to do with requiring motor vehicles, trailers, boats, and recreational vehicles be parked on a hard surface.

Community PED member Ike Trickie brought it up, asking, “Can someone explain to me what a ‘hard surface’ is?”

Richter accommodated him, reading the current definition: “…a ground level surface paved with asphalt or concrete, for purposes of storing or parking motor vehicles, trailers, boats, or recreational vehicles.” He added, “You can still park them in the side yard or rear yard, but it will have to be on a hard surface. We’re allowing you to maintain those, but not add on or expand them. Does that answer your question?”

“Yes and no,” Trickie replied. “I’d like to propose adding chipped asphalt. The reason is that after a really hot summer, chipped asphalt actually becomes a hard surface that you can plow and it doesn’t come up. I know a lot of people who this will affect, as far as putting asphalt or concrete down, and I think the chipped asphalt would be a good solution.”

He added, “I’m in the asphalt business and know what it can do. It does not create any dust if it’s put down properly. You’ve almost got a black top driveway. I would really like to see that included, as part of our hard surfaces.”

And so he made the necessary motion to amend Chapter 12.601A of the code, with PED member-Trustee James Kidd providing the second.

There was no opposition from staff. “I agree with Mr. Trickie that crushed asphalt when it’s compacted can form a pretty decent surface,” Richter said. “(But) I’ve seen a number of examples where it had pot-holed.”

With there being no further discussion, this amendment was recommended for approval in a unanimous voice vote.

And after it was determined there were no public comments, the motion as amended was recommended for approval, also in a unanimous voice vote. It was forwarded to the village board for possible action at its upcoming meeting Monday night.