Moses Lake tables trailer rule

Council opts for study session

MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake City Council refrained from finalizing an amendment to an ordinance regulating placement of cargo trailers on driveways Tuesday night.

Instead, council tabled the ordinance and agreed to review it further with a study session. A meeting time for the study session was not immediately set.

Mayor Ron Covey said clarification is needed concerning the number of recreational trailers allowed at one time on personal property.

The ordinance specifies one enclosed cargo trailer is permitted to be parked on a driveway in front of a home or garage but does not define the number of boat trailers and other recreational vehicle trailers allowed.

Councilmember Jim Liebrecht said he agreed, more information was needed. He said he thought the ordinance was specific to commercial cargo trailers.

Councilmember Bill Ecret said more consideration should be made concerning driveway cutouts and how far a trailer sticks out from a driveway and the impact on driver safety.

He said there are a large number of homes in Moses Lake lacking access to a back yard and lacking an approved surface to park trailers. He said the ordinance will help accommodate those citizens.

At a previous meeting council approved to allow up to one enclosed cargo trailer no larger than 8 feet wide by 16 feet long on the first reading of the amended ordinance.

The ordinance was amended following a request from Ecret to allow him to store his enclosed cargo trailer in his driveway. It is used for his business.

Ecret learned he was in violation of the city code after citizen Richard Beeson informed city staff and council with a series of e-mails and photographs of the cargo trailer parked in front of Ecret's garage on his driveway.

According to city staff the ordinance is a work in progress and future amendments are expected.