Despite some concerns from residents, City Commissioners approved an ordinance that prohibits drivers from parking within 5 feet of commercial and residential driveways throughout the city. Owensboro Police Department Major JD Winkler on Tuesday briefly addressed enforcement of the ordinance.
“For years we’ve received a lot of calls, four to five a week, about people blocking driveways and not being able to safely pull out of their driveway, and the traffic hazards that it creates,” Winkler said.
He said about 50% of the time, OPD can do something about it. The passage of the ordinance makes policing those issues a bit more consistent and gives OPD something to enforce, according to Winkler.
He also confirmed that OPD does not plan to monitor the ordinance by patrolling the community. Instead, if a complaint comes in, OPD now has the grounds to step in.
Winkler said that the 5-foot measurement was decided after looking at other communities such as Bowling Green, Louisville, and Franklin County — which all have similar ordinances with a 10-, 4-, and 12-foot restrictions, respectively.
Some people in the community had expressed concerns, both publicly and directly to Owensboro Times, with how the ordinance would affect neighborhoods — specifically the Heartlands and Twin Lakes.
Three commissioners on Monday told Owensboro Times they were aware of the concerns, but noted that the ordinance would only be enforced on a complaint basis so people should largely still be able to park in near driveways in neighborhoods.
The commission unanimously approved the ordinance Tuesday.
In other business, the commission also approved accepting $237,732 in Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus funding that will be available online through an application. The funds can be used toward rent assistance and support microenterprise businesses of five or fewer employees.
The City is also applying for a grant of just more than $222,000 to use for firefighters enrolling in the paramedic program. The City will require a 10% match should they be awarded the grant. The program will accept six firefighters into the cohort.
