Aurora cracks down on illegally parked semi-trucks and RVs as well as broken-down cars

Photo byDaniel SalciusonUnsplash

The Aurora City Council gave final approval Monday to a new law that targets illegally parked semi-trucks, RVs, and broken-down cars.

Under the proposed changes:

* The impoundment of an unlawful vehicle parked on the public right-of-way would occur after 24 hours, rather than 48 hours, after being cited as an unlawful vehicle. An “unlawful vehicle” can be any vehicle that “endangers the public or property, which includes but is not limited to, a lack of equipment as required by the Colorado Model Traffic Code, improperly inflated tires, inoperable lights, inoperable brakes, broken windows or windshield, having expired or no license plates if plates are required by law, is wrecked, dismantled, partially dismantled, discarded, or severely dilapidated, or is otherwise apparently inoperable,” the ordinance states.

* The weight limit for semi-trailers, trailers, and commercial vehicles in excess of 22 feet in length is reduced to 6,000 pounds from the previous 7,000 pounds to be consistent with the Aurora’s UDO and Denver’s weight limits. “Nothing in this section shall be construed as preventing the use of trucks or other vehicles having an empty weight in excess of 6,000 pounds or in excess of 22 feet in length on city streets for the purpose of carrying merchandise or providing services to or from a destination in the city which cannot otherwise be reached and for the purpose of loading or unloading such merchandise or providing such services, provided that the shortest and most direct routes in conjunction with established through truck routes are used,” the ordinance states.

Campers included in RV definition

* Recreational Vehicles cannot be parked on the public right-of-way for more than 24 hours during any seven-day period, lengthening the limit from five days. They must stay off the public right-of-way at least 72 hours when they move. Moving from one public right-of-way spot to another is not a defense for violating the ordinance. “Recreational vehicle means a vehicle constructed or modified to provide occupancy as a dwelling or sleeping place for one or more persons and designed to be used primarily for recreational, camping, travel or seasonal use that either has its own motor power or is or can be mounted on or towed by another vehicle,” according to the ordinance. “Recreational vehicles include, but is not limited to, motor homes, camper trailers, truck campers, conversion campervans, watercraft, snowmobiles, and off-highway vehicles. For the purposes of this section, a recreational vehicle does not include a truck with a truck bed cap, shell, cover, or topper.”

* “Trailers less than 22 feet in length are permitted to be parked on the public right-of-way, street, or parts of streets of the City for no more than twenty-four hours,” according to the ordinance.

Truckers oppose changes

According to the ordinance, the city changed its laws to be at least as strict as Denver’s, if not stricter. An over-the-road trucker told Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman recently that the city must make parking available for semi drivers. “Aurora, Denver and Commerce City are the biggest shipping hubs in Colorado,” Charles Bolin wrote in an email to the mayor. “Unfortunately, all three lack safe truck parking.”

Bolin explained that trucking companies get their loads from brokers. Truckers must follow their rules when pulling their loads, he wrote in the email.

“These brokers require us to give them access to our electronic logs, cell phones and in some cases the vehicle itself to monitor our location and determine who is at fault if cargo arrives damaged,” Bolin explained. “Almost all of these brokers mandate we park close to shippers and receivers when waiting for pickup or delivery. Failure to be within the required radius eight hours prior to pick up or delivery is considered a service failure for most brokers.”

Insurance companies that provide cargo insurance for brokers will refuse to cover loads being hauled by a carrier with too many service failures, Bolin said.

Law not targeting people who live in RVs, campers, cars, officials claim

Denver’s new ordinance, adopted in May, became known as “the poverty tow bill.” But Denver leaders said from the beginning that they, like Aurora, had developed problems with semis illegally parked all over town. They stressed they were not targeting people who live in their RVs or cars with the ordinance.