CYPRESS : Law to Rid Roads of Big Vehicles Delayed

City Council members this week delayed action on an ordinance designed to rid city streets of large vehicles.

At the city attorney’s request, adoption of the controversial ordinance was postponed a month to allow more time to work out details.

The proposed ordinance, given tentative approval in August but not formally adopted at that time, would prohibit parking of large vehicles on city streets for more than 48 hours unless the owners have a permit. Large vehicles are defined as any more than eight feet high and 21 feet long.

The ordinance would allow parking beyond the two-day limit under special circumstances. Residents who use the vehicle each day, for instance, would be exempted.

The ordinance proposal has sparked an outcry from recreational vehicle owners who will be hit hardest if it is adopted. They say they have been unfairly singled out and have asked the council to reconsider.

Ironically, the issue first surfaced when an RV owner complained to the council that the current laws, under which residents could be cited for leaving their vehicles on the street more than 72 hours, were too restrictive. This sparked a flurry of calls to City Hall, not for fewer restrictions but for more.

The large vehicle ordinance is to be considered Oct. 26 by the council.