‘We need to be heard’, shout drivers facing $300,000 fines for parking on their own property – rule changed after decades

A PARKING ordinance against commercial trucks and tractor trailers has led to major problems and fines for people who rely on keeping their vehicles on their properties.

Palm Beach, Florida, is home to hundreds of truck drivers, farmers and landscapers who own big rigs, but a new county code enforcement has left some of them with hefty fines.

two

two

Many owners of large commercial vehicles originally moved to the area because they wanted to park on their properties, CBS affiliate WPEC reported.

But recently other residents complained that the large vehicles were destroying the roads and causing suffering.

“We are against the industrialization and commercialization of heavy equipment in our residential neighborhoods and the use of tractor trailers,” said resident Luis Colantuoni, according to WPEC.

REPRESSION CAUSING FINES

The ordinance originally said that Palm Beach homeowners could have a commercial vehicle that did not exceed 12,500 pounds and 26 feet in height.

However, it was only after a recent crackdown that residents began receiving fines for exceeding the limit.

Palm Beach commissioners have consistently attended hearings to reach consensus, but the rules are still unclear to many residents.

Limits were also recently increased in February to 16,000, with two commercial vehicles permitted but did not include tractor trailers, WPEC said.

Natalia Melian, truck driver and resident, referred to the code and all the changes as confusing.

She asks the city to understand the confusion and the need for some to keep their trucks parked on their property.

“The code was so confusing that no one really understood what was allowed and what wasn’t allowed, so we shouldn’t be held responsible for something the county did incorrectly,” Melian told WPEC.

“I think they should take that into consideration and let us continue our business.”

MASSIVE FINES

The ability to park big rigs on their property is a necessity for some residents.

Melian owns a local trucking company and said she will have nowhere to put her vehicles if she needs to remove them from her property.

“If I have to move the truck out of my house, we’re talking about, I have to take it to a backyard,” Melian told the NBC affiliate. WPTV.

“There are no patios available anywhere.”

Neil Elkin, owner of Earth and Turf Landscaping Inc. has racked up $300,000 in fines since the crackdown began.

“Our fines were over $300,000, which were rescinded to zero, and then they are starting again with threats of fines,” Elkin told WPTV.

West Palm Beach Representative Rick Roth shared his opinion on the matter and believes the crackdown was too abrupt for truck owners.

Roth also stated how this is having a huge impact on people’s ability to keep their homes.

“Now is not the right time to crack down on them,” Roth said.

“They are starting to enforce regulations that changed a few years ago.

“This is really causing people to have to leave their properties.

“These people are using their property – whether they are nursery farmers or commercial truck drivers – they are using their own property to facilitate their business.”