Article Text
Fairfax County residents now have a direct way to report commercial trucks that may be illegally parked on neighborhood streets, in alleys or in other restricted areas.
The county’s online Parking Violation Public Report allows users to document a vehicle and pinpoint its location on a map. The tool offers an alternative to contacting a local elected official about each complaint.
Supervisor Dan Storck’s Mount Vernon District office launched the reporting option as part of a broader parking campaign. Storck announced the initiative to the Board of Supervisors in October amid growing concern about large box trucks, dump trucks and tractor-trailers parked along public streets.
Storck said the vehicles can create safety problems, intrude on neighborhoods, obstruct businesses and reduce walkability. The Richmond Highway corridor has been a particular focus because its numerous side roads can attract truck parking.
The problem is not confined to Mount Vernon. Springfield District officials have received complaints from widely scattered locations. In the Braddock District, trucks are frequently seen near the Target on New Guinea Road and along Port Royal Road, which is sometimes used to store trucks and trailers beside the roadway.
Six Signs a Vehicle May Be Illegally Parked
The county’s form asks six questions. A vehicle may be reported if the answer to at least one is yes:
-
Is it obstructing traffic by sitting in a travel lane?
-
Is it parked in a posted no-parking area?
-
Is a commercial truck parked in a residentially zoned area?
-
Has it remained there for at least 15 days after police first tagged it?
-
Is it part of a fleet, defined as two or more vehicles from the same company parked on a public road?
-
Is it within 10 feet of a driveway, 20 feet of an intersection or 30 feet of a stop sign?
Fairfax County Code Section 82-5-7 prohibits commercial vehicles from parking in residential districts. Each violation can bring a $100 fine, and the vehicle may be towed at the owner’s expense.