City bans vehicles from parking on lawns

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By ISRAL DEBRUIN
idebruin@cninow.com

South Milwaukee residents now are prohibited from parking any type of vehicle — including trailers, mobile homes, motorcycles, cars and boats — on their lawns.

The new ordinance also limits the amount of a yard that can be paved and used for parking to 40 percent.

After hearing from four residents opposed to the issue and one in favor, the South Milwaukee Common Council voted 7-1 to pass the measure Dec. 2.

Council members in favor of the new rule said it will improve the look of the city’s neighborhoods, as well as better keep dangerous chemicals from seeping into the ground.
Conditions getting worse

Mayor Tom Zepecki said the ordinance will solve a problem that has grown in scope the longer it has been allowed.

“The spirit of this ordinance is for people that live in a neighborhood to not have to go out into their front yard and see all kinds of different vehicles and sometimes junk,” Zepecki said.

Alderman David Bartoshevich said he has been getting more and more complaints from city residents about lawn parking.

“We have to do something, because things are getting worse,” Bartoshevich said.

The ordinance will be complaint-driven and enforced by the building inspector and city engineer. Single violations will result in a notice to comply, while repeat offenders will be cited for a municipal court appearance.

Residents opposed to the ordinance argued that the city should not dictate the use of privately owned lawns.

Council members responded by pointing out existing ordinances governing property appearance.

Resident Jeffrey Piastowski said short-term lawn parking should be allowed in areas with no street parking.

“Unless the city wants us to sit there and tear up half the front lawn and pour concrete, you know, there is no other alternative (to parking on the grass),” Piastowski said.

Zepecki said temporary lawn parking would be unlikely to draw a complaint. Still, officials said they couldn’t promise any particular lawn parking situation would go unnoticed.

Aaron Hall, another resident, said the policy was overbroad, applying to many parking situations that are environmentally safe and visually subtle.

“You can’t enforce an ordinance if it doesn’t apply to everybody,” Alderman David Bartoshevich said. “You can’t pick and choose who to prosecute.”
Backyards not immune to junk

First District Alderman Mike Karbowski cast the lone dissenting vote, saying he feels the new law should not apply to backyards.

“It just goes a little too far,” Karbowski said. “Just saying it’ll be complaint-driven doesn’t make me feel better.”

Resident Mike Kehoe spoke in favor of the ordinance, telling council members of a home near his with six cars in its yard. More cars, he said, have been recently added to the backyard.

Alderwoman Lisa Pieper said homes with adjoining lots suffer from backyard eyesores as much as those in front.

Isral DeBruin can be reached at (262) 446-6608.
FYI

All city ordinances are available at www.ci.south-milwaukee.wi.us/mc.htm, the City Administration Building, 2424 15th Ave. or the Public Library, 1907 10th Ave.

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