Parking
- A limited number of guest parking spaces are available in the common elements
- Owners who have guests staying longer than 1 week and plan to utilize guest parking should notify the management company
- Residents must use their garage or driveway as their primary parking area
- Residents are not to park or store vehicles in the guest spaces
- Only allowed on the non-hydrant side
- Prohibited from 2:00am until 6:00am daily
- Prohibited any time the snow exceeds 2 inches
- Emergency vehicles (like a fire truck) and snow plows must be able to navigate the street
- If it looks dangerous it probably is - the curve near the entrance is a good example of where NOT to park, even on the non-hydrant side of the street
- Vehicles may be towed at owner expense for violating the parking rules
- Phone number to call if towed (440) 946-9274 (also on sign)
- Commercial vehicles, RVs, or boats may not be stored on the property at any time
Some residents have claimed to be inconvenienced by the rules surrounding commercial vehicles. To summarize the issue, the neighborhood wasn't really designed for them. There are at least 3 factors to consider:
- Vehicle Dimensions - Many commercial vehicles don't even fit safely. We've seen several that stick out of driveways, and even one that caused a lot of blockages in the cul-de-sac.
- Vehicle Weight - The driveways and parking pads were not designed to carry the weight. They are residential grade, roughly 4" thick, and are located within the common elements (i.e. HOA property). Commercial driveway aprons should be no less than 8” thick.
- Neighborhood Aesthetics - Many of our owners moved here expecting the neighborhood to look a certain way.
Rationale for Visitor-only use of Guest spaces
Some have claimed that it's not fair to ban residents from using the parking pads designed for guests. One excuse is that the spaces are not used most of the time. But this is kind of the point, so that when they are needed by guests, they will be available. Allowing a few to take over those spaces as some have tried to do is most clearly not fair at all. Everyone has a driveway and a garage for their own exclusive use, and that is clearly the most fair option.
The purpose of notifying the management company for guests staying over a week is to remove any ambiguity, for some may think it strange to see the same car over and over and suspect abuse. The board has not predefined a time limit for guests, though it could be argued at some point a guest is actually a resident. By notifying management and keeping the communication open, the board can more effectively monitor the situation to ensure that all are being equally served.
Rationale for Overnight Parking Ban
Overnight parking is not allowed in Richmond Heights (or in most of the cities in the area). A couple of reasons for this are criminal activity (burglary or stalking for example) and potential boarding or party houses. Our little street has not been completely immune to these problems. Consider that a criminal might see a lot of street parking and therefore believe they would blend in better.
Additionally, our street is narrow, and street parking at any time can pose some additional risk for both emergency and snow plowing vehicles. It is easier to mitigate these risks when residents are not inclined to take up permanent spaces on the street. Because of the single-family requirement, everyone can park up to 4 cars in their driveway and garage, so this should not be a burden for anyone.
Minibikes, Motorcycles, Mopeds, etc.
There has been some confusion about the phrasing in the Declaration of Covenants, Article VI, Section 6. The intent of this provision is that any motorized vehicle is only allowed on pavement designed for vehicles. In other words, not on the grass, not on the sidewalk, and not in the wetland (as if our wetland were suitable for trails). Just like cars, the space designated for parking these forms of personal transportation is in the garage or driveway.