County may mull rules for parking on roads

Published 12:00 am Friday, September 10, 2004

[9/10/04]A countywide law specifying when and if vehicles may be parked along public roads may be in the future of Warren County.

During the Warren County Board of Supervisors’ unofficial discussion meeting Thursday, the topic of a right-of-way ordinance was brought up, but District 5 Supervisor Richard George said sample ordinances he found do not seem to fit the county’s needs.

“This would be fine for a gravel road,” he said pointing out that the sample he found addressed roads about 16 feet wide.

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In Warren County, paved road rights of way are normally 25 feet wide measured from the center line.

District 4 Supervisor Carl Flanders said he had received complaints about an 18-wheeler parked on Dana Road and a complaint from a resident of Carver Drive off Gibson Road.

“If you are going to do something, you need to do it countywide,” George added.

“I would think enforcement would be a big problem,” said District 1 Supervisor David McDonald.

“You can put anything you want on paper, but when it comes to enforcement…,” said District 2 Supervisor Michael Mayfield.

Flanders said a law against parking on public roads would add safety to traveling county roads.

Flanders volunteered to get additional information on right-of-way ordinances, make changes that might fit Warren County’s needs and circulate the proposal back to other board members.

Property maintenance codes, which had been proposed by Flanders, were also discussed briefly.

If eventually passed, the codes would set standards the owners of land and homes would be expected to maintain. Vicksburg has laws that, for example, require people to cut their grass. No such laws exist outside the corporate limits.

Flanders said the law would be a means to improve property values, but he has attracted little support.

“This county is so diverse from one end to the other,” Mayfield said. “Look at how many established communities that have been there for years that are just outside the city limits … and then you can get way out in the boondocks and you find something totally different. So, whatever we come up with, we need to make sure it suits what we actually have out there.”

“If you do have some kind of broad code for the county, initially it’s going to have to be very basic because of the diversity of the standard of living … among the segments of our population. Their needs are different; their wants are different,” George said.

The county’s published policy on advertising job vacancies in-house before considering applicants from outside the county system was also brought up with Flanders proposing a change that would retain that method for filling nonsalaried posts, but specify the county would immediately open applications for salaried posts to county employees and noncounty employees at the same time.

George objected, saying the present policy is good for county employees as it gives them the chance to advance and it does no damage in seeking qualified applicants for top positions.

District 3 Supervisor and Board President Charles Selmon brought up the point that abolishing the present policy could damage employee morale.