By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
After receiving numerous complaints, Hays city commissioners have begun discussing potential modifications to city ordinances regarding parking, particularly in residential areas.
There've been complaints to the commission, city staff, and the Hays police about businesses parking their commercial vehicles in a residential neighborhood, parking of recreational vehicles and buses on residential streets, and commercial businesses using city streets to store their customers' vehicles.
Other concerns discussed during Thursday's work session addressed long-term parking and parking of oversize vehicles on residential streets.
Parking of motor vehicles in front yards is already prohibited. City staff wants to add trailers to that section of the ordinance.
It's also illegal to park trucks overnight. The ordinance doesn't reference any other type of oversize or commercial vehicles and doesn't address daytime safety or aesthetic issues.
"Maybe our ordinances aren't as comprehensive as they should be in some sections," said Toby Dougherty, city manager. In other instances, the law may be unnecessarily harsh and cumbersome, he said, such as requiring an operable vehicle to be towed if it sits in the same spot for 48 hours and is considered abandoned.
Mayor Shaun Musil said he has a vehicle his sons used to drive to school but now sits for weeks in front of his house without being moved.
"It's licensed, and there's air in the tires. Every 48 hours I'm supposed to move it. I don't have any other place for it. This is where I struggle," Musil said.
"Our guys have more important things to do than look for cars parked for 49 hours," Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said. "In my 30 years, I've only towed one vehicle away."
He pointed out that to remain lawful, Hays police officers who go on vacation bring their patrol cars to the law enforcement center parking lot so they're not parked on the street for more than 48 hours.
After an hour of discussion, commissioners agreed to Dougherty's suggestion that a comprehensive list be created of vehicles that would be specifically prohibited from parking on residential streets. That would include RVs, buses, bucket trucks, semi-trucks, tractors and trailers, and construction equipment unless it's at a job.
"We'd also include something similar to a TSA box concept, that the vehicle or equipment must be smaller than the to-be-determined dimensions for parking on residential streets," Dougherty said.
He talked of an incident he witnessed near Massey Park on Allen Street when a young mother and her two small children were nearly hit by a driver who could not see them around a large commercial vehicle that regularly parks in the neighborhood.
City staff will compile a proposal for changes to the parking regulations for further review at a future work session.
R9 water pipeline
In other business, the commission heard a recommendation from John Braun, R9 project manager, of an agreement for the R9 water pipeline easement acquisition services. City staff is recommending the low bid of $1,079,374.25 from O. R. Colan Associates, Charlotte, N.C., which would be funded out of the water sales tax reserve fund.
Construction of the 66-mile pipeline is projected to begin in 2025.
Fire station
Construction of Hays' third fire station, 1732 W. 41st St., is expected to be completed in March. The purchase of fixtures, furnishings and equipment is budgeted for $280,500. Most of the money will come from the city's share of the Ellis County ¼ cent sales tax. A smaller portion will use proceeds from the city's 2010 sale of its property near 33rd Street and Sherman Avenue.
Public Works Director Jesse Rohr recommended awarding a bid for four Freightliner Model 108SD dump trucks for the service division to Truck Center Companies, Wichita, for $804,525. Each truck is equipped with a snowplow, two have sand/salt spreaders, and one has a brine applicator.
Rohr also presented requests for a general nuisance abatement at 409 Riley St. and a demolition abatement for 3809 Post Road.
The commissioners are expected to vote on the recommendations at their Jan. 11 meeting.
The meeting began with Brenda Kitchen, city clerk, swearing in commissioners Mason Ruder, Alaina Cunningham and Reese Barrick who were re-elected to the city commission in November. Ruder and Cunningham will serve four-year terms, while Barrick will serve another two years.