State stole my property...

[rushthezeppelin]

Well more or less. So I live on the outside middle of a corner cul de sac and have a fairly long drive way that has two trucks and a car parked in it usually. Woke up this morning to see a sign on one of the trucks that says no parking over the sidewalk (along with most of our neighbors that have 3+ vehicles).

Roommate spent an hour on the phone today with Hutto pd and was told no exceptions $40 fine a day for any vehicle even slightly crossing the sidewalk. Turns out a new state law just hit this month that basically expands a city's easement rights. The state basically cut our freaking driveway in half, more or less stealing my property or at least regulating it out of its primary purpose.

Definitely going to be finding out who signed this asinine bill and making a few phone calls. Seriously with the amount of vehicles us and our immediate neighbors have well have the street clogged real quick forcing us to park on the side of a house down the street. Kind wishing I didn't live in a subdivision now.

City told us we could always pay them to permit a driveway add-on and of course pay for more concrete and pay to have it inspected. Smells like this thing was envisioned as a local jurisdiction cash trap.

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[M. Sage]

So they're going to fine you for "blocking" sidewalk that has no functional purpose?

Yeah, that sounds about right.

 

[Renegade]

What does your deed/survey say?

 

[Vaquero]

No sidewalks in our cul-de-sac.
Thank goodness.

 

[rushthezeppelin]

It's sad, there's several parts of my subdivision where I know a good stretch of the road has driveways full and therefore the street will be even more full once this is fully enforced. I can only imagine the nightmare when one of my neighbors has a big BBQ, which happens often.

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[ShootingTheBull]

Laws are made, laws can be changed. Take photos, show 'em what's going to happen in your neighborhood. Maybe they'll listen and change it. Maybe they won't, of course, but then you're no worse off for having tried, are you?

 

[M. Sage]

No sidewalks in our cul-de-sac.
Thank goodness.

Never see police in ours...

 

[rushthezeppelin]

Laws are made, laws can be changed. Take photos, show 'em what's going to happen in your neighborhood. Maybe they'll listen and change it. Maybe they won't, of course, but then you're no worse off for having tried, are you?

Pretty much exactly my plan, before and after photos.

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[txinvestigator]

Not a new law. For a long time it is unlawful to park across a sidewalk. It has nothing to do with easement rights.

 

[rushthezeppelin]

Not a new law. For a long time it is unlawful to park across a sidewalk. It has nothing to do with easement rights.

That's what Hutto pd said, that's all I know.

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[txinvestigator]

Disregard... tablet acting odd

 

[txinvestigator]

That's what Hutto pd said, that's all I know.

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I believe your roommate was told that.
545.302 is the section of the Texas Transportation Code if you need something to reference when you call.

 

[cajunautoxer]

that's been enforced here in Houston for a while now. At least 4 yrs since I've lived in TX

 

[CanTex]

I have to make some assumptions here. Is there an existing sidewalk? If so, what changed. You did not own anything the other side of it anyways. Also, did your truck/car impede people using the sidewalk? If so, why? what is more important. Keeping kids, people walking etc from having to step into the road or off onto your property to get around the vehicle or having the vehicle closer to your front door.

Not parking across the driveway has almost always been a offense. One of the ones, I believe to have a good reason. It keeps cars from interfering with walkers or causing them to have to enter the roadway to pass, it also makes for an easier sight line when you are driving down a residential street. Easier to spot the kids playing in driveways or drivers who may pull out in front of you.

 

[M. Sage]

I have to make some assumptions here. Is there an existing sidewalk? If so, what changed. You did not own anything the other side of it anyways. Also, did your truck/car impede people using the sidewalk? If so, why? what is more important. Keeping kids, people walking etc from having to step into the road or off onto your property to get around the vehicle or having the vehicle closer to your front door.

Not parking across the driveway has almost always been a offense. One of the ones, I believe to have a good reason. It keeps cars from interfering with walkers or causing them to have to enter the roadway to pass, it also makes for an easier sight line when you are driving down a residential street. Easier to spot the kids playing in driveways or drivers who may pull out in front of you.

He says in the OP that he lives on a cul de sac. Pedestrian traffic is a non-issue.

 

[Southpaw]

He says in the OP that he lives on a cul de sac. Pedestrian traffic is a non-issue.

How do you figure that there is no pedestrain traffic on the existing sidewalk?

 

[M. Sage]

How do you figure that there is no pedestrain traffic on the existing sidewalk?

Because it's a cul de sac...?

 

[txinvestigator]

People do not walk on cul-de-sacs?

 

[M. Sage]

People do not walk on cul-de-sacs?

Not really, not in my experience. If they do, there's not any traffic to make walking in the street unsafe, now is there?

 

[txinvestigator]

That is not MY experience. I see people drive on them all of the time as well.

Just more "the rules shouldn't apply to me" rhetoric.