New parking ordinance takes toll on truckers
By Elizabeth Billips Associate Editor

A Waynesboro woman wants city council to rethink their parking ordinance before police start writing tickets.

Last month, city council passed the ordinance intended to get parked trucks off city right-ofways and into privately maintained lots.

While its purpose was to minimize road damage and traffic hazards, Waynesboro resident Irene Pitts, whose fiancé drives a rig, says the ordinance is putting truckers' livelihoods at risk.

She says her fiancé tried using one of those lots, only to have freight stolen and his truck vandalized three times.

"Some truckers carry million dollar loads," she told city council. "What are they supposed to do? Just park it and pray to God no one touches it?"

Pitts said she understood the purpose of the ordinance but hoped council members would hold off on enforcement until a parking lot with some type of security was available.

"Kids are getting killed, stores are being robbed and old people are being beaten," she said. "There are more important things in Waynesboro to worry about than (ticketing) a man trying to make a living."

Councilman Chick Jones agreed.

"I understand their plight, and nobody wants to come down on a working man," he said. "It's unfair to start ticketing before anything can be done."

While other councilmen also seemed sympathetic, no decision was made.

As things stand, police will continue writing warnings until Oct. 1 when citations will be issued instead.

Mayor Jesse Stone said he hoped supply and demand would take care of the problem and that someone would invest in a secured lot in the near future.

In the meantime, Pitts agreed, at Jones' request, to organize a group to represent local truckers and to help voice their concerns.

Later in the meeting, city council unanimously passed the first reading of a second ordinance that will also affect truckers.

The proposed truck travel restriction ordinance would keep rigs weighing more than five tons from traveling on all city streets except those designated as truck routes.

According to City Administrator Jerry Coalson, officials are still in the process of designating those routes, but they'll likely include Woodland Road, Lovers Lane, Fourth Street, Thirteenth Street and Herman Lodge Boulevard, in addition to Sixth and Liberty streets.

The second reading will be Nov. 5.