Parking ordinance goes into effect in North Bend

The city council approved the parking ordinance June 28. The ordinance shortens the amount of time RVs and other vehicles can be parked on streets from 10 days to 72 hours. The ordinance also gives the city the authority to tow vehicles that do not comply with the ordinance.

Under the new ordinance, all trailer must be licensed and attached to a licensed, operable motor vehicle to park on city streets.

In addition, no abandoned vehicles are permitted on North Bend streets. Under the ordinance, a vehicle is considered abandoned if it:

- Does not have a lawfully affixed, unexpired registration plate, fails to display current registration, or fails to have vehicle insurance;

- Appears to be inoperative or disabled;

- Appears to be wrecked, partially dismantled or junked; or

- Appears to be abandoned.

But perhaps the biggest change is limiting the time a vehicle can be parked in one place. The new, 72-hour window, requires vehicles to be moved at least one full city block every three days to be considered legal. The movement requirement is in addition to the licensing and insurance mandates.

If a vehicle is found to be illegal or does not move in the required time, it can be towed by the city. A new state law requires the city to store the vehicles for 30 days before they can be disposed. The city must cover the expense of towing, storing and cleaning the vehicles.

While the 72-hour limit is the maximum a city can apply in Oregon, if a vehicle is considered a danger, it can be towed immediately.

"All vehicles parked in such a location as to constitute a hazard or obstruction to motor vehicle traffic may be towed immediately," the city reported in a press release. "A vehicle constitutes a hazard or obstruction in cases including, but not limited to, those where the vehicle extends within the paved portion of the travel lane; or results in a sight obstruction to motor vehicle traffic; or is the cause of an accumulation of trash, garbage, junk, debris or other personal property constituting a nuisance; or when the vehicle presents a clear danger."

Within days of the ordinance taking effect, the number or RVs parked on city streets shrunk noticeably as the North Bend Police Department began informing people occupying RVs and other vehicles of the new law.

"We are towing," City Administrator David Milliron said. "The police and myself went out to all the homeless and we shared the one-page flyer. We started last week educating, educating, educating. Most of the homeless knew it was coming. It was a good interaction with most folks."

With most of the RVs leaving North Bend streets, other locations nearby have seen an increase.

"We heard from Coos Bay, and they have seen and increase there," Milliron said. "We knew when we implemented our ordinance, it was going to impact others. When Coos Bay implemented theirs, they all came to North Bend."

The city of Coos Bay implemented a similar parking ordinance last year along with a camping ordinance that lays out when and where the homeless can camp.