If looking at big trucks and trailers is your hobby, then you have plenty of viewing opportunities in Shreveport!
Just drive the main arteries and look for vacant lots and empty storefronts, and voila! And on weekends, many residential neighborhoods provide big-truck sightings.
Yes, it’s a zoning violation to park these monsters in residential neighborhoods.
And parking these unsightly monsters on vacant lots and empty storefronts is a trespass if without the permission of the landowner or tenant. Often, these parties are unaware of the presence of these big rigs or just don’t care.
These big-truck cabs and truck trailers illegally parked are detrimental for many reasons.
Initially, their appearance degrades surrounding properties and contributes to other visual pollution, like trash piles on streets. And if a continual problem, property values are adversely affected.
The big rigs also damage many residential streets, especially asphalt, that were not constructed for the excessive weight.
And like weeds, one rig often invites other rigs to park illegally.
Nationwide, big-rig parking has long been a problem.
If on privately owned property, drastic and effective measures like booting the vehicle is not an option. Similarly, the issue of having permission to park is an impediment for law enforcement.
Miami-Dade County has a comprehensive truck parking ordinance that provides for fines against the truck owners and the property owners. The ultimate responsibility under the ordinance is on the property owner. The ordinance has significant fines and allows for the filing of liens against property owners who are fined.
Enforcement of the Miami-Dade ordinance is not as simple as issuing a red-light violation ticket. It involves notice of violations, identification of responsible parties, and enforcement personnel to write tickets and to handle administrative duties.
Big-truck parking is becoming more and more of a nuisance and civic eyesore in Shreveport. To make progress on this problem, a new city ordinance must be enacted and substantial city resources dedicated to the enforcement process. Therein lies the problem.
The Shreveport Police Department lacks personnel to handle its current duties effectively. Auxiliary police officers could be utilized for ticketing, although administrative staff will be needed for full enforcement of such an ordinance.
Like many other council issues, determination evidenced by legislation and budgeting will be critical to resolution of the big-truck parking problems. Once the bulk trash pickup backlog is resolved and street pothole repairs become less worrisome, the council should make this issue a higher priority.