Currently, trailers are prohibited from parking at homes in most Cape Coral neighborhoods, and company vans face some restrictions unless they are being used for a job.
In recent years, the city relaxed those restrictions, allowing people with vehicles that have company logos and phone numbers to park in residentially zoned properties. Parking on the grass is prohibited regardless of zoning.
The City Council is preparing to discuss a proposed ordinance that would standardize parking regulations across all areas, regardless of property zoning.
This change would affect properties where their use doesn’t match their zoning. If the Ordinance is passed, parking rules will depend on how the property is actually used, not how it’s zoned.
More : Read current parking ordinances
The parking rules themselves aren’t changing, but how they’re applied will.
For example, if you live in a single-family home, residential parking rules will apply. If the property is mainly used as a business, commercial parking rules will apply.
Supporters of the proposed ordinance argue it would help protect property values by keeping commercial vehicles out of residential driveways.
Others, like David Ramos, a construction company owner who lives on SW Barbara Blvd. — a street where parking work vans is currently permitted — disagree. Ramos thinks the existing rules for parking in certain areas make sense, as they primarily serve working-class families.
"I think they should be able to park there," said Ramos. "They pay their taxes just like anybody else. It’s a working man! Where’s he going to park? You should be bothering somebody who’s not working, not somebody who is.”
Ramos believes the city should prioritize improving roads and traffic flow instead of changing parking rules.
The City Council is expected to set a date for the first public hearing on the proposed ordinance during their meeting on Wednesday. Residents will have the opportunity to share their opinions on the proposal at City Hall on December 4.
Click here see the City of Cape Coral's current ordinances on parking.