As the weather turns from winter into spring, the Marshalltown Police Department would like to remind residents of the city code prohibiting parking in your yard.
City code 72.040 states, “It shall be unlawful for any person, corporation or legal entity to park a motor vehicle, trailer or vehicle in the front yard of any residential lot, unless the motor vehicle, trailer or vehicle is parked completely on a driveway, driveway extension or combination thereof or in a permanent roofed enclosure. However, this section shall not apply to motor vehicles, trailers, or vehicles being used to move, deliver and/or take articles to and from a yard or building or structure located thereon or used in connection with providing a temporary service thereon for a reasonable period of time while in the active process of such use.”
Rear and side yards. Parking of all vehicles, including licensed and operable vehicles, recreational vehicles, and trailers, must be parked in a permanent roofed structure or on a hard surface consisting of solid concrete, asphalt, solid bricks, crushed stone or gravel. Such hard-surfaced parking areas in a side-yard or rear-yard must be connected to a driveway leading from an approved curb drop or entrance which also consists of a hard surface consisting of solid concrete, asphalt, solid bricks, gravel, or crushed stone. The vehicle wheels and any component touching the ground must be located entirely on and directly above the appropriate surface.
The penalty for yard parking, either in the front yard, side yard, or back yard is $30.00.
City code 72.039, pertaining to driveway extensions states, “Prior written authorization of the Engineering Department or other authorized designee is s required for all driveways and driveway extensions in front yards and regulations for authorization. No driveway extension shall be installed or construction thereon begun in any residential front yard without prior written authorization of the Engineering Department or other authorized designee, issued to the owner, whether the legal or equitable title holder of the lot.” ”Driveway extension must be a surface consisting of concrete, blacktop, asphalt or solid bricks, and constructed and maintained in quality, quantity, and size to prevent the creation of ruts in or deterioration or damage to the driveway extension or soil beneath from the operation or parking of motor vehicles or vehicles, or both thereon. “
For more information, please contact Parking Enforcement Officer Dan McCready at 641-844-1807 or via email at dmccready@marshalltown-ia.gov.