Truck Parking Ordinance Passes

Ordinance #814, the Semi-Truck Parking Ordinance, was the main topic of discussion at the Kimball City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 4. The ordinance read that "No one shall allow, permit or suffer any semitrailer or truck-tractor to be parked or stored on public streets or private lots in the City of Kimball Residential Zoning districts R1 and R3 as defined in the City of Kimball Zoning Ordinance #736."

When the public discussion opened, resident and over-the-road trucker Dan Schildhauer was the first to speak on the issue, and a host of others followed.

Schildhauer owns and operates his own semi. He said that he sometimes parks his semi in his driveway, which is private property, in order to re-stock, clean the cab for the next week, and do light maintenance. This ordinance concerned him because it was his driveway, and he felt like it was a control issue.

Kathy Porter asked about the timeline for fines and enforcement issues.

Also opposing the ordinance, Gerry Porter said, "I believe what you guys are trying to push through is wrong because you are trying to dictate what people can do and what they can't do. Pretty soon you are going to tell people they can't park their bikes in their front yard. It is the same thing, taking power that isn't yours to take."

Others felt the ordinance was an "overreach."

The public discussion ended, and the council began its discussion of the ordinance.

Mayor John Morrison started the council discussion by explaining that "Nobody is trying to drive anyone out of business."

He continued, "I don't want anyone parking or storing a truck next to me or in the yard next to me." Morrison went on to explain that the ordinance is "only for residential areas" and that truck parking is available in commercial areas.

"You can't run your business in a residential area," he said.

Councilman Don Muench said, "Residential is not the place to run a business."

All council members voiced their opinions, and some revisions to the ordinance were applied.

The revisions included temporary parking, limiting the number of trucks, vacation exemptions, and cold weather idling exemptions.

Ordinance #814 was passed with the revisions. Then Ordinance 814 was approved by a 4-0 vote.

In other city business, the council voted not to renew the contract with the city's HR firm Zelle.

The mayor appointed, and the council approved the appointment of Muench to the Panhandle's Rural Workforce Development Board and Greg Robinson to the Board of Public Works.

The mayor's final appointment was to appoint Paula Tarango as city clerk.

The next Kimball City Council meeting will be on March 21.