Ephrata parking ordinance delayed
A truck is parked in front of The Alabaster Box in Ephrata.
A plan that would allow pamphlets on vehicles parked in front of Ephrata businesses for long periods was delayed because of legal concerns.
EPHRATA — A plan that would allow pamphlets on vehicles parked in front of Ephrata businesses for long periods was delayed because of legal concerns.
The issue was raised after volunteers at the Alabaster Box placed a draft pamphlet on the windshield of vehicle parked in front of the store, while the employee was working. The document showed other places the person could park and not interfere with business.
“A PUD employee came over and pointed out to them in the code where it’s not allowed (to place handbills on vehicles),” Community Development Director Ron Sell said. “We’re trying to fix that now.”
The change exempts a parking information handbill approved by the council and the chamber of commerce.
City Attorney Katherine Kenison said people could challenge the ordinance because it only allows the parking information pamphlet.
“The ability of the city to outright ban handbills, whether they’re commercial or private ... is based on our ability to have a total ban that doesn’t discriminate against anybody,” she said. “It’s crafted so it addresses litter and not the contents.”
If the city allows exceptions, then the city would be acknowledging that the content of the pamphlet matters, Kenison said. The change could make the city’s and the chamber’s speech more important than that of other entities.
“I would rather have an answer for you on that, because I don’t want there to be any issue in the future with us being challenged,” she said.
Councilmembers agreed to table the change, but Councilmember Ben Davis questioned whether another part of the plan would be effective. The city is looking at placing signs stating “customer parking only” in the downtown area.
“How could you ever use that if you didn’t have some sort of a way to police it?” he asked. “The problem we seem to have is with some business owners that park right in front of their stores and employees of some of the downtown businesses that choose to park in front of the stores. If they know the rules, why put up the signs?”
Davis said he didn’t want to return to police enforcement.
Public Works Director Bill Sangster said the signs were meant for general knowledge.
“People look at a sign that says, ‘for customer parking only’ ... you’d hope that somebody would see that and kind of understand,” he said.
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