A new Omaha city ordinance could change where residents are allowed to park their vehicles in residential areas, requiring all motor vehicles to be parked on hard, paved surfaces.
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The proposed ordinance would prohibit parking on grass, gravel, dirt or any unpaved surface in residential areas. Vehicles would need to be parked in paved driveways, garages or designated paved pads.
Councilman Ron Hug is proposing the ordinance after receiving frequent complaints from residents.
“Rarely does a day go by that somebody doesn’t call me and say, hey, my neighbor’s parking in his yard, parking a trailer, parking a car,” Hug said.
The issue has been particularly prominent in residential neighborhoods like north and south Omaha, where not every house has a driveway and streets are narrow. Some residents have expressed concerns about limited parking options.
“My family had six kids growing up. There were six cars, and it was a tight spot, and we would fight over spots and things like that,” said Michaela Alm, who lives in South Omaha. “We have single driveways here, and where else are you supposed to park sometimes?”
The proposed ordinance would impose fines ranging from $25 to $250 for violations in residential areas. Enforcement would apply to vehicle owners, property owners, landlords, and tenants.
Though Alm has concerns about the amount of street parking, she believes the parking restrictions could improve neighborhood aesthetics.
“I feel like when you see somebody doing that, you definitely notice and it doesn’t really look like something you would see in West Omaha, for instance,” one neighbor said. “It’s kind of an eyesore.”
In spring 2024, former Mayor Jean Stothert vetoed a similar version of the ordinance, calling it “unclear about enforcement.” Hug says he has made changes to address those concerns.
“This will allow the Omaha Police Department to actually do the enforcement because there will be this mechanism in place where they can be cited,” Hug said. “So it gives us another level of enforcement opportunity.”
The public hearing for this ordinance is scheduled for November 25.
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