Big trucks may be restricted

Restrictions on semitrailer and other large vehicle parking on Roachdale streets are in the works by town officials who hope to develop a new ordinance on the matter.

At their regular monthly meeting Tuesday, Town Council members discussed reasons for the new ordinance.

"They are tearing up the streets," Council president Bill Long said of the large trucks at the meeting. "We want them out of residential areas."

Long also said some parked tractor-trailers had blocked views of traffic at intersections.

"We are willing to work with them, but we have to do something," he said of drivers. "We have been getting complaints about it."

Code books show the town already has had two ordinances limiting semitrailer parking. One was passed in 1958 and another in 1986. However, since none of the ordinances have been enforced in recent years, the town will have to create a new law.

Right now, members say vehicles 8,000 pounds or more would be affected by the mandates.

At the meeting, one resident suggested this may be too restrictive.

"Eight Thousand pounds is excluding a lot of vehicles," Roachdale resident Ken Walls said.

Others agreed, arguing that pickup trucks could also be affected.

Walls told members he had been blamed for tearing up town streets, but said the damage had been there long before he began driving a semitrailer.

"This has been one big headache," Walls said.

He offered to park his tractor-trailer in his own driveway.

As for other drivers in town, Long asked that they park their semitrailers on Railroad Street, until the process of approving the ordinance is finished.

In other business, council members Bill Long and Jack Jones:

-- Announced they would appoint a replacement for the council seat left vacant by Louis McKinney in February.

-- Approved building permits for the instillation of a swimming pool at the Brent Clark property, 7 E. Maple St. and the installation of a carport at the Phil Everman property, 4 S. Indiana St.

-- Approved in first read the annexation of the Randy Asher property south of Rush Street on the west side of town. The approximately 5 acres will now be subject to town law and taxes.

The Roachdale Town Council regularly meets at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at the town hall.