Parking Ticket ( on grass/unpaved)

[MsLoan]

Hey guys.. My name is Loan and I reside in South OKC. I recently received a parking ticket for parking on the grass on the side of the house I am renting with other roommates. We have several cars here and only have a driveway for two cars. In addition, we live right next to this large church that has ridiculous traffic. The church goers aren't going the speed limit going up and down our street either. Therefore, I choose not to park on the curb because one of my friend's has been hit before.

Back to my subject, does anyone know if you received this parking ticket from the OKC Municipal Court.. Could you fight it and stand up for your case? Maybe receive a warning?

Anyone here has had previous experiences?

[blangtang]

Parking on the grass will result in a ticket from the parking or code officers. They've gone from reacting to complaints to issuing tickets when visible.

[MsLoan]

There's no way to appeal it though?

[blangtang]

How much is the fine?

[Achilleslastand]

You best bet is to just pay it and either lay some gravel for an additional driveway or just park in the street.
The tickets used to be 10 bucks but im sure they have gone up by now. What if your front yard is fenced can the officer jump the fence to write the citation?

[rcjunkie]

You best bet is to just pay it and either lay some gravel for an additional driveway or just park in the street.
The tickets used to be 10 bucks but im sure they have gone up by now. What if your front yard is fenced can the officer jump the fence to write the citation?

If it's a clear violation, the office can enter the property. You can't just put down "some gravel", it has to be paved.

[Snowman]

Some of the reasoning behind it not being allowed on residential property by the occupant is that is how a lot of sewer or utility lines get messed up.

[kevinpate]

I don't know parking ticket rates in the metro, but if it is a nominal fine (e.g., a $20.00 not wearing a seatbelt traffic citation) then something to consider is ... is the displeasure and costs of having your day in court worth the bother? It's been a long time since I've seen an OKC cattle call, excuse me, municipal court docket, but one can sit there quite a while waiting one's turn to stand before the judge. After waiting all that time, to speak to the judge, who still have many other folks to come before him or her, you'll want something more to say than there's too many of us living here, or the church folks drive our street too fast to leave the car at the curb.

The only thing worse than paying a small citation is giving up one's morning after enduring a rise in blood pressure and frustration over it AND THEN paying the small citation. Sometimes a grunt and a check in the mail, followed by a nice cold beverage, is the best course of action.

[BBatesokc]

Our neighbors are really aggressive about reporting people parking in their yards or parking cars with flat tires in their driveways. From what I recall, the fine went up fairly recently regarding yard parking because it is such a nuisance and really reflects poorly on a neighborhood.

One neighbor did find a loophole though. Apparently if your garage extends out further than the main part of your house (think "L" shaped), then you can legally park in the grass as long as you are behind the the end of the garage (as in the elbow of the "L"). Didn't make sense to me, but a call to Community Action confirmed it.

[Midtowner]

Parking tickets are $15.00 for meter violations downtown.

I know this from lots and lots of experience.

[Bill Robertson]

Fine went up to $100 July 1st.

http://www.okc.gov/news/2010_06/Yard_Parking.html

Good thing. Caused the couple of people in our neighborhood who just didn't get it to see the light.

[MsLoan]

How much is the fine?

$100 before arraignment date, $125 after

[MsLoan]

Thanks everyone. :-)

[ranbunctious]

We live in a private community. Code enforcement officers are writing $100 tickets like crazy for parking on gravel driveways. These driveways have been here for 65 years. NOW, without a warning, you get a $100 citation. If you want to contest your situation, that's ANOTHER $100. Here’s an additional important note:
This is a PRIVATE COMMUNITY. We have bylaws and covenants regarding yard & street parking that carry fines and sanctions. The important thing is that residents are WARNED before they are fined. Unlike the city, we are treated with respect & dignity. Handing out steep fines for laws residents are not aware of is pure predatory & oppressive government. Wouldn’t you agree?
Everybody knows not to park on lawns, easements, and next to fire hydrants. Handing out fines for gravel driveways is simply preying on taxpayers and cruel…

[Pete]

Is this within the City of OKC?

If so, just FYI, parking is only allowed on hard surfaces like concrete or asphalt.

However, that code is not uniformly enforced. For example, there is a big gravel parking lot in Midtown, the Jones Assembly has been parking cars on a big grass lot south of Sonic, St. Anthony has several parking areas on gravel and grass, etc.

[Bullbear]

They were doing that in our neighborhood about a year ago.. even going as far as giving tickets to people in their drive way whose tire was 1 inch off the drive. these driveways are very narrow and it happens. I don't consider my tire touching my lawn as parking in the yard.

[stile99]

Sorry, I fall (pretty firmly, in fact) on the side of "ignorance of the law is no excuse". Especially when they make no attempt whatsoever to hide it.

https://www.okc.gov/residents/action...ode-violations

I know HOAs and such ilk like to think they are their own law, but it's never true.

[jompster]

We found from our HOA's lawyer that city ordinances usually trump HOA bylaws and covenants (unless one or the other doesn't address the violation), so they're within their right to ticket as long as you're in the city limits. We have some neighbors who put down gravel to one side of their driveway, and it's legal as long as it doesn't extend into the city's 6- or 7-foot right-of-way.

[Pete]

We found from our HOA's lawyer that city ordinances always trump HOA bylaws and covenants, so they're within their right to ticket as long as you're in the city limits. We have some neighbors who put down gravel to one side of their driveway, and it's legal as long as it doesn't extend into the city's 6- or 7-foot right-of-way.

It might be legal to put it down but it's not legal to park anywhere within city limits on gravel.

[jompster]

It might be legal to put it down but it's not legal to park anywhere within city limits on gravel.

I'd have to read the full text of the ordinance before I'd agree with that. They had Code Enforcement come out to make sure it followed the proper regulations and they specifically asked if they could park on it and were told yes, since it met the requirements. But they also could have been given incorrect information I suppose.

[Pete]

It says:

vehicles shall be parked on a permanently hard-surfaced (paved) driveway or parking area

Gravel is not considered hard-surface or pavement.


The only way around this is to go to the Board of Adjustment and ask for an exception, but what you described would not be approved otherwise everyone would do it.

[Roger S]

It might be legal to put it down but it's not legal to park anywhere within city limits on gravel.

Is that just for private homes or does that pertain to commercial properties as well? I can think of several commercial parking lots that are gravel... Diamond Ballroom being one of those.

[Pete]

Is that just for private homes or does that pertain to commercial properties as well? I can think of several commercial parking lots that are gravel... Diamond Ballroom being one of those.

Yes, sorry, talking about residential lots.

I believe commercial lots must also be paved but there may be some that are grandfathered in or received exceptions from the Board of Adjustment.

[Pete]

By the way, the paved rule applies to side and backyards as well.

For example, you can't store boats or old cars in those areas unless they are paved.

I know this because I was having an issue with one of my neighbors and double-checked with the city to confirm.

[Bill Robertson]

By the way, the paved rule applies to side and backyards as well.

For example, you can't store boats or old cars in those areas unless they are paved.

I know this because I was having an issue with one of my neighbors and double-checked with the city to confirm.

Funny that the parking ordinance applies to back yards etc. when the tall grass/weeds doesn’t. There is a neighbor that has weeds as tall as the stockade fence. Our association called the city and was told as long as it’s behind the house they won’t do anything. I remember another thread on here about tall grass in backyards also.