HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 10128 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 10128
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council April 10, 2018
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*a SUBJECT: REVISIONS TO CITY CODE CONCERNING TRAILERS AND
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SEMI-TRAILERS
The purpose of this informal report is to provide information on proposed revisions to the City
Code concerning trailers and semi-trailers and is a follow up to a City Council work session
presentation made in the fall of 2017 on the topic of on-street parking of trailers and semi-trailers
in residential areas. An M&C will be included on the April 17, 2018, City Council agenda for
adoption of these revisions.
The previous briefing presented the option to restrict the parking of trailers and semi-trailers in
residential areas overnight regardless of size and included a recommendation to make minor
revisions to the City Code to clarify the regulation of trailers and semi-trailers. Council indicated a
preference to not change the City Code to restrict trailer and semi-trailer parking overnight in
residential areas, but acknowledged the need to make the other minor revisions to the language
of the ordinance in order to provide better clarity to City enforcement staff and the public, as
discussed in detail below.
The following items were presented previously and will be included in the upcoming M&C:
1. Height measurement of trailer/semi-trailer — Sections 22-1 and 22-162.1 have
historically been interpreted to measure the height of the trailer from some point on the
bottom of the trailer to the highest point on the top. There are several different points
at the bottom to measure from, resulting in the need to define a specific point. Practice
suggests that the ground elevation be the point of measurement and is the
recommended datum point for measurement. In changing this measurement point, it is
necessary to reassess the maximum height restriction such that current trailers/semi-
trailers are not impacted. Staff has evaluated exiting trailers/semi-trailer and
determined that a height of nine feet as measured from the ground would
accommodate trailers/semi-trailers that measure seven feet from the bottom of the
trailer bed. The resulting change in measurement technique and maximum height
provides the easiest method and would not prohibit current trailer/semi-trailer users
from parking on the street.
2. Semi-trailer - Section 162.2 of the City Code prohibits large trailers from parking in
areas zoned residential or used for residential purposes; however, large semi-trailers
are not prohibited because the definition of Oversize Commercial Vehicle did not
include semi-trailers. Most "trailers" used by residents are actually by definition semi-
trailers, and leaving off semi-trailers was likely inadvertently done when the original
ordinance was adopted. The proposed City Code revisions will prohibit semi-trailers
more than 20 feet in length from end to end, and more than seven feet in width at their
widest point, or more than nine feet in height from the ground to the highest point from
parking on-street in areas zoned residential or used for residential purposes, which
mirrors the prohibition of large trailers.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 10128
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council April 10, 2018
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*a SUBJECT: REVISIONS TO CITY CODE CONCERNING TRAILERS AND
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SEMI-TRAILERS
3. Other minor revisions are being included to address the use of the terms "vehicle" and
"motor vehicle" used interchangeably under Section 22-159 of the City Code, to delete
the redundant definition of Oversize Commercial Vehicle under 22-162.1 , and to
change "oversized" to "oversize" under Section 162.2 of the City Code to match the
definition.
If you should have questions, please contact Douglas Wiersig, TPW Director, at 817-392-7801 .
David Cooke
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS