Quick Take
The City of Watsonville’s ban on oversized vehicles parking on public streets citywide goes into effect on Friday. City officials changed the parking rules in early February.
Watsonville will start enforcing a citywide ban on parking oversized vehicles on public streets Friday.
The police department will issue warning notices before the new rules go into effect. After Friday, oversized vehicles or trailers that violate the ban will be subject to parking tickets, a 24-hour “intent to tow” notice or possible towing if the vehicle is not moved promptly, according to a social media post by the Watsonville Police Department.
The city council changed the city’s existing ordinance in early February in response to complaints from residents and business owners about trailers, recreational vehicles and semi-trucks parked on city streets for long periods of time, according to Watsonville Police Capt. Mish Radich.
The ordinance prohibits oversized vehicles or trailers more than 8 feet tall, more that 8.5 feet wide, more than 22 feet long or more than 10,000 pounds from parking on city streets — including alleys and city-owned parking lots.
The ban does not apply to active delivery trucks, buses, vehicles doing service or repair work, emergency and public utility company vehicles, according to the police department’s website. It will also make exemptions for RVs that have daily parking permits for Pinto Lake City Park.
Jaime Rodriguez, a contracted traffic engineer, told city officials in January that the ordinance is not meant to target people living in their cars or trailers, but rather to address some of the safety concerns created by these large vehicles. Oversized vehicles on city streets can create obstructions, such as blocking sight lines, for other drivers and for pedestrians. Rodriguez said large vehicles also block gutters and make it difficult for street sweepers to do their job, which could lead to flooding.
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