Can you get a ticket for parking on your own house's front lawn?

[MysticWar]

Unfortunately, you can. I've been parking on my front lawn for as long as I can remember. But today I got a ticket for doing it. My house has a small lawn in front behind the gate and that's where I parked. It was not parked on the street. It is behind my house's front gate. Of course, the parking enforcement couldn't get in to give me ticket with the locked gate. So, he/she sent me a ticket in the mail. This is southern California. Didn't know that it's possible to get a ticket for parking a certain way at my house behind my own gate.

 

[jlee]

Assuming you're in a neighborhood, are there any restrictions on vehicle parking?

 

[fatbaby]

Well go contest it. Unless its against your municipal ordinance code, you should probably win.

 

[NogginBoink]

What violation were you cited for?

There may be a city ordinance against it.

 

[d33pt]

i think this is against the law in almost every city unless it's a real trailer trash place where no one cares...

 

[Beau]

Originally posted by: d33pt
i think this is against the law in almost every city unless it's a real trailer trash place where no one cares...

Trailers have lawns?

 

[dxkj]

Yeah its against the law. Fluids leaking into the ground, etc.

 

[MaxDSP]

Originally posted by: dxkj
Yeah its against the law. Fluids leaking into the ground, etc.

hmm, never thought about that. Seems like a good reason though, especially with the way my car seems to leak everything I put into it.

 

[MysticWar]

I have yet to look at the citation myself. I only got a phone call from home telling me that I got a ticket for it. There's probably an ordinance code prohibiting such parking but parking there for two years and only one ticket???? That tells you how strict the enforcement is in my city. Oh well. After paying this ticket I'm just gonna level the lawn and make it into a parking space.

 

[RGN]

yup, my town has muni code against parking in the lawn. They say the car has to be on a "permenant hard surface"

I got a warning letter. Which is funny, because I work at the village hall not 30 feet from the guy that wrote it.

 

[Fritzo]

Yes you can. It has to do with zoning or some nonsence. You'd only get a ticket if a neighbor complained though.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: MysticWar
I have yet to look at the citation myself. I only got a phone call from home telling me that I got a ticket for it. There's probably an ordinance code prohibiting such parking but parking there for two years and only one ticket???? That tells you how strict the enforcement is in my city. Oh well. After paying this ticket I'm just gonna level the lawn and make it into a parking space.

Chances are they do not REALLY enforce it, someone called them and complained about it. Pissed any one off that lives near ya???

 

[MysticWar]

Hmm, interesting. Didn't know that it wasn't really enforced unless brought to attention by the neighbor. Now it's all clear to me.

That neighbor is gonna get a nice surprise. You want a war?, now you've got one coming.

 

[aircooled]

Someone probably complained.

 

[N8Magic]

Rip up the sod in the small area you park in and throw down some gravel and rent a tamping machine to pack it all down.

Problem solved.

 

[Cyberian]

Originally posted by: MysticWar
Hmm, interesting. Didn't know that it wasn't really enforced unless brought to attention by the neighbor. Now it's all clear to me.

That neighbor is gonna get a nice surprise. You want a war?, now you've got one coming.

Did you just remember who you pissed off?

 

[NutBucket]

On occasion I'll park on my friend's lawn late at night when I'm too lazy to look for a space. But that's maybe an hour tops around midnight. But yeah, IIRC you can't do it.

 

[0roo0roo]

good. junkers on lawns make neighborhoods look like sh*t. do something to your house that affects neighbor/neighborhood and well, its our business

 

[MikeMike]

man, we park on my lawn all the time, but yea, thats b/c i have 4 acres!!! and live in ohio!!! no one cars!!! we have an r/v my uncle drives up for the family reunion and parks on our lawn for a week. no one cares. EVER.

MIKE

 

[LongCoolMother]

no hijack intended. but this is kind of like breaking into your own house. sometimes i forget my keys and i have to hop my own fence and pick my own house lock. is that illegal? kind of like parking on your own lawn.

 

[DrPizza]

I have to park in the grass between the sidewalk and street on streetsweeper night to avoid a ticket for being in the way of the sweeper... Yet, it's illegal to be parked there. But, in my city, it's *not* illegal to park anywhere else in your lawn.

btw: concerning car fluids leaking and contaminating the ground.... what about the car fluids that leak into the street, and get washed away into the storm drains and eventually the rivers?

 

[Mallow]

how much mula we talking about for this ticket?

 

[Mill]

If you can, that is absurd. Keep us updated.

 

[MysticWar]

It's $30. They also sent me a copy of the municipal code that prohibits it.

"For all property zoned and/or used for residential purposes, no person shall park any automobile in any required front or street side yard areas except upon an approved paved driveway accesss to the garage/carport structure or upon any other paved area in the front or streets side yard area. The paved area including driveways shall not exceed 50% of the total area of the required front or street side yard area; no vehicle shall be parked on, or extend over any public sidewalk or parkway right-of-way."

I have three choices: Park on the lawn, park on the street in front of my house under a tree, or park on the other side of the street with no tree. Then there are three possible consequences. Park on the lawn and get a ticket. Park under the tree and have bird guano all over my car in the morning. Park across the street and have my neighbor shower my car with his damn springler causing ugly water spots. Maybe it's just me, but it seems like he turns on the springler whenever I park in that spot. It's not like I'm taking his parking space either.

I just got my 2004 330ci and this is really pissing me off. Oh well, I guess it's time to look for a new neighborhood to live in.

 

[HiTek21]

they give tickets to people who park on their lawn, my neighbor does it all the time but police don't usually come around this neighborhood unless someone calls them.