Supervisors ban parking in Carroll Township yards

The action was taken to prevent a buildup of dirt and mud on streets.

Carroll Township residents will have to figure out other arrangements if they park in yards surrounding their homes.

On Tuesday, supervisors unanimously approved an ordinance that prohibits parking motor vehicles, utility trailers, house or vacation trailers, boats or other small vehicles in the front and side yards of homes in residential areas.

Parking essentially will only be permitted in driveways or along a paved street.

Definitions are outlined in the ordinance.

A front yard is the area that extends the full width of a residential lot along the front property line.

Corner lot yards will be determined based on the street address of the residence.

Side yards are the areas parallel to the front of a home.

To be in compliance, cars and other vehicles will have to be parked in a driveway, which is defined as “a permanently surfaced area on a residential lot designed and required to provide direct access for vehicles between a public street and private garage, carport” or another permitted parking space or loading area.

When asked why the ordinance was necessary, Chairman Ken Hillman said the township has been running into problems with vehicles tracking mud, dirt and other debris from their yards onto township roadways.

“There are a lot of cars recently that are being parked in the yard, or front yard, side yard, off the pavement,” Hillman said. “What’s happening is when it rains a lot, they are still parking there and it is tracing a lot of mud, dirt and debris into the roadways. It’s causing us to be in violation of our stormwater ordinance, so this ordinance here is to address that.”

The ordinance only applies to roads owned by the township and cannot be enforced on a state roadway.

Hillman said residents will be able to bring their cars, ATVs, etc. into their yards to clean or repair, but they cannot remain parked there as if it were a driveway.

“People are parking in their yard and using it as a drive- way when it is not a designated parking area,” he said. “It can be OK in the summertime when it is dry, but when you get 27 inches of rain and you have ruts everywhere, now it’s tracking mud and other things and we’re out there trying to get things cleaned up.”

Residents who do not comply will be cited and will be ordered to pay a fine between $300 to $500 plus additional costs for litigation and attorney’s fees. If residents do not comply within 24 hours of receiving their citation, a new citation will be issued for each successive 24-hour period and will be subject to the aforementioned fines “without the necessity of filing multiple or daily complaints or charges with the magistrate.”

The ordinance will take effect immediately.

In other business, supervisors: • Accepted the resignation of part-time police officer Thomas Yonek and hired Leo DiCesare as the township’s newest part-timer.

• Approved a $6,656 quote from Baycom for two new Toughbook laptops for the police department.

• Will pay Turik’s Electric $6,750 for the installation of new electrical line at Valley Avenue Park for power to the camera system and security light, along with an additional $3,995 for the installation of new electrical line at the parking lot of the park to power a camera system and security light.

• Announced that grass pickup will continue in the borough through Oct. 31, when the township will move to picking up leaves and small brush.