Bethel Park may prohibit parking on front lawns
Bethel Park residents may soon have to reconsider where they park their cars.
Members of the Bethel Park Planning and Zoning Commission will be addressing the issue of vehicle parking on residential lawns as part of their upcoming comprehensive plan review.
In July, council members, prompted by complaints from residents, directed the commission to consider an ordinance revision prohibiting vehicle parking on front lawns. The commission discussed the issue and directed municipal staff to develop and draft an ordinance.
The draft ordinance, which was presented to the commission in September, prohibits vehicle parking on “grassy or open areas not designated for off-street parking or storage of such residential vehicles.”
At that time, staff requested that no action not be taken on the ordinance until a consistency review was preformed.
In October, the committee approved a resolution recognizing the importance of addressing the issue. However, members recommended not adopting an ordinance, but rather recommended that the issue be considered as part of the comprehensive review of the municipality’s overall parking issues.
Among the issues the commission plans to address as part of its on-street, of-street and loading requirements, are issues such as; emergency vehicles, garbage vehicles, street cleaners, busses, snow removal vehicles, road repair vehicles, utility vehicles and general public safety concerns.