By Moses Leos III
An increased awareness of parking laws in Kyle area neighborhoods from the Kyle Police Department (KPD) has led to a slight increase in complaints from the public.
Kyle Police Chief Jeff Barnett said putting the public on notice is the next step as they enforce rules.
“What we want is compliance,” Barnett said. “We don’t want to write citations for (parking violations), but the number of complaints are too much to ignore.”
One of the most recent problems has been a parked car in driveways that obstruct sidewalks.
The problem is city-wide according to Barnett. He said the most recent complaints have stemmed from the Hometown Kyle and Waterleaf subdivisions.
Enforcement of the law is focused on safety. Vehicles blocking sidewalks pose issues for children and persons with disabilities.
Cars blocking the path, he said, could force those individuals to place themselves in harm’s way.
KPD is tackling improper parking in cul-de-sacs. It’s also enforcing parking too close to intersections where visibility is the concern.
Parking against the flow of traffic has been a longtime issue, primarily in Plum Creek and other neighborhoods.
The increase in residents, along with more people using garages for storage, has led to more vehicles along the street.
“People tend to park in the street instead of their driveway or garage,” Barnett said. “That doesn’t mean they should violate the law to do so.”
Barnett said the department provided homeowners associations (HOAs) with a summary of the parking laws. Three HOA’s returned with concerns from residents asking for help with enforcement.
While only “a few” tickets have been written for parking violations, the problem is forcing KPD to change strategy.
“We’re giving our warning now, and informing the public and educating them to expect a possibility of a citation if they are in a violation,” Barnett said.
