Proposal Targets Vehicles on Lawns

Vehicles should not be considered lawn art, the city of San Fernando says. Moving to crack down on residents who park vehicles on unpaved surfaces in residential areas, the City Council recently proposed an ordinance making it illegal to park in yards.

“It’s just not attractive to have vehicles parked on the lawn,” said Howard Miura, director of the city’s Community Development Department. The issue of people parking on lawns had been discussed over the past year at City Council meetings and town hall gatherings, officials said.

The proposed ordinance will be discussed at a public hearing scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday at San Fernando City Hall.

Vehicle owners who violate the proposed rule would be cited $20; if a person is cited three times during a one-month period, the vehicle could be towed away at the owner’s expense. If a citation is not paid within 30 calendar days of the offense, an additional $10 penalty would be levied, according to the proposed rule.

The new provision states that parking vehicles on unpaved areas “creates a condition tending to reduce the value of private property, promotes blight and deterioration, and is injurious to the quality of life in the community.”

City Hall is at 117 Macneil St.