August 23, 2006

Statement in favor of prohibiting the parking of trailers and semi-trailers on streets

This statement was filed by LAAG on Aug 17, 2006 for the Nov 7, 2006 ballot but Mr. Yung's statement was chosen.

The parking situation is out of control in Lakewood. Part of the problem is that most people no longer park in their garages. Also, the number of cars per house has increased as well as the size of their vehicles. Cars and small trucks are competing for street parking with RVs and trailers which take up to two or three times the parking space as a car (in length and width). They are rarely moved, turning streets into campgrounds.

Lakewood must deal with the parking problem now or parking regulations will be thrust upon us by State and County agencies that govern the water runoff issues into the San Gabriel and LA Rivers. Gutter runoff pollutants increase without proper weekly sweeping and debris removal which in turn pollutes our beaches and surrounding rivers. If Lakewood does not remedy this, our property taxes will increase dramatically to pay for outside remediation efforts. Regulating long term RV and trailer parking on public streets Lakewood will ease implementation of citywide mandatory no parking on street sweeping days. Having to shuffle RVs and trailers around every week will be difficult. Voting YES on Measure __ will remedy this.

Most residential streets are 25 feet wide. RVs and trailers can restrict the passage area to less than 9 feet. This impedes the flow of traffic and even with ONE vehicle traveling down the street, impairs safety. Large RVs and trailers create blind spots (a hazard for pets and children who play near them) and make it difficult for residents to enter and exit driveways safely. They also make trash collection more difficult and time consuming as even more thru traffic blockage occurs with trash trucks present.

Vote YES on Measures C and F.

See additional arguments in statement supporting the RV parking measure

Lakewood Accountability Action Group | www.LAAG.us

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