Neighbors Parking along streets (Colorado Springs, Sterling: HOA, house, neighborhood)

[Goodneighbor2016]

Our neighbors who live across the street own 8 vehicles, including 2 large commercial vans, 1 large recreational van, 4 large SUV's, and 1 very junky old sedan. They park along their vehicles on both sides of the street and block driveways. We live on a curve, which makes is very difficult to see when backing out of our driveway. It also makes it very dangerous for our children to cross the street due to the obstructed view. Besides being dangerous, it's simply unsightly. These vehicles are very junky and it's making our neighborhood look trashy.

We've asked them multiple times to stop parking in front of our house and they keep doing.

What can we do?

[sunsprit]

If the area they're in is public parking without any HOA restrictions (if you're living in an HOA subdivision with CC&R's restricting street parking or home-based businesses), almost nothing.

As you observe, such parking can be a nuisance and a hazard for the neighborhood, but it may not be illegal.

Best to call your county sheriff dept or local municipal PD and ask what restrictions may apply to the parking situation. There may be some time limits and/or a requirement that a vehicle be currently registered and operable. But as long as your neighbor is keeping the vehicles licensed and using them frequently enough to not exceed any parking time limits, they're within their rights.

[Charles22]

How many of their cars do you want to get rid of?

[Miss Hepburn]

All I can say is I feel your pain!
I would not be happy!
I hope it never becomes my problem...
I wouldnt know what to do...bec I know all
this stuff has loopholes so is legal.

One VW van was parked for 2 weeks in front of a friend's house on
Willamette, nothng she could do...inconvenienced her alot...then one day 2 hippie looking guys get dropped off , get in the van and drive away...there is limited parking for each house.

Could too many people be living there? A thought.

[mollygee]

Looks like a used car lot?? Maybe, that's what you can suggest to the city? I suggested that to my landlady, just kidding, (sort of) when there were 2 cars in my driveway, that belonged to her. She was storing the vehicles here; because it was her property. Well, she had one towed away the next day, and the other one sold, within a month.

[Vision67]

I don't think they can legally block driveways. However, they can park in front of your house.

I realize that many people dislike HOAs with their rules and restrictions, but perhaps this situation shows the benefit of those regulations.

Some people are just rude and inconsiderate.

[dr.frog]

Colorado Springs city law says outside storage of commercial vehicles on residential property is prohibited. Unlicensed junk vehicles and RVs can't be parked on the street.

Here's a link to the city code:
Sterling Codifiers, Inc.

You want section 9.6.5 in there.

Here's how to file a complaint with the city:
https://coloradosprings.gov/cat/resi...complaint-form

[huffdiver]

And they probably have a 3-car garage filled w/ crap too, right??

If the cars do not move every 72 hours (per law) you can let Code Enforcement know and they will tow it like the previous poster said. I have done this many times w/ a Colorado Springs Housing Authority house on my street where they have junk cars all over the place just like in the 'hood.

Since it is a public street w/ no HOA's (bummer!!) you really can not do anything but they are being selfish and rude, par for the course w/ most neighbors these days.

[Mike from back east]

At a minimum I believe that large commercial vehicles may not be parked in residential zones, and IIRC you don't even need an HOA to enforce that, it should be standard code in just about every city in the nation. Then you get into the eyesore codes and ordnances.

Neighbors can also fight back by parking their cars on the street to take up parking spaces and thus deny him space for his fleet of stuff.

[sunsprit]

under 9.6.5, one must be careful about the GVWR applicability.

"2 large commercial vans" may not necessarily exceed the 10,001 lb limit per commercial vehicle on residential streets.

I've had neighbors who were plumbers, electricians, cable TV installers, and a drywaller using Vans which didn't exceed those limits, and they legally parked on the residential streets with licensed/insured vehicles that were moved frequently enough to comply with the codes. All were clearly marked as commercial units, two were "wrapped", and all had their DOT GVW weight rating placards showing a lower weight.

Generally, isn't until you've got a commercial sized "box truck" ... much larger than a "van" ... that you'll exceed the residential parking weight limit for a commercial vehicle.