If you live in a subdivision that’s been approved within the past 15 years in Pasco County, chances are no parking is permitted on your residential street — without a county permit.
Of course, not everybody is aware of the restriction.
“The general rule for most modern residential subdivisions is that they don’t allow parking on the street,” said County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder. “That’s by the zoning restrictions.”
That’s problematic, Commissioner Mike Moore said during the county board’s July 12 meeting, adding he thinks a change is long overdue.
“Do you really want to, every time you have few friends over — maybe it’s on a whim — to run down to the county office and get a permit because you’re going to have three extra guests come over to your house? It’s just silliness, right?”
Moore continued: “South Tampa allows street parking.
“Everybody knows in Cleveland, and outside of Cleveland, you can’t park on the side of the street where there’s fire hydrants. Common sense, right?” he added.
Parking on both sides of the street isn’t a good idea because emergency vehicles and large vehicles can’t get through, he said.
But allowing it on one side of the street shouldn’t pose problems, he added.
Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey supports the idea.
“Let staff comes back to us with some proposals. In many places on-street parking is used as traffic calming.”
Pasco Fire Chief Scott Cassin said he’d like to see whatever the county proposes and to weigh in on the issue.
Moore said he’d be happy to work with the fire chief on the issue.
Steinsnyder told the board there are areas in the county where residential street parking is allowed because the road is wide enough.
But he added, the board has granted requests in master-planned neighborhoods for streets that are just 20-feet wide.
If parking is permitted on both sides of 20-foot-wide street, there will be issues with fire service equipment or even RVs getting through, Steinsnyder said.
Moore said he’d like to see a recommendation from staff at the next board meeting.
“This is simple stuff,” the commissioner said.
Published June 20, 2022
