ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 25, 1996 TAG: 9604250045
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: What's on your mind?
SOURCE: RAY REED
Del. Vic Thomas, D-Roanoke, was the sponsor of a General Assembly measure that would have provided $50,000 in moving expenses to Rusco Window Co. of Roanoke.
A question in Tuesday's column referred to Del. Richard Cranwell, D-Vinton, as sponsor of the bill and implied - incorrectly - that Cranwell might have received a campaign contribution from Rusco.
Rusco and its officers didn't financially support Cranwell, Thomas or any other candidate, as this column's answer Tuesday made clear.
Cranwell and Thomas didn't care for the implication that their public service was for sale to campaign backers.
It's easy to see why the reader might have thought Cranwell sponsored the Rusco relief bill, though, because of Cranwell's comment when Gov. George Allen vetoed the appropriation.
"Sounds like the governor may have had his sights set on budget amendments that had Dick Cranwell's name on it," an April 12 story in The Roanoke Times quoted Cranwell as saying.
A third Roanoke Valley legislator, Del. Clifton "Chip" Woodrum, said Wednesday that bills sponsored by Thomas to aid Rusco and by Cranwell to give $950,000 to the College of Health Sciences were combined in the budget, allowing both to be killed by a single stroke of the governor's pen.
No trucks here|
Q: I'm trying to get clarification on a city ordinance that I think prohibits parking a commercial vehicle, trailer or motor home in front of houses on Roanoke streets. If there's a problem in a neighborhood, what does a resident do about it?| |R.M., Roanoke A: The best answer is to call the Police Department, which enforces parking laws. The dispatcher at 911 and traffic bureau at 981-2671 receive these complaints.
Commercial trucks parked on a street are covered under Section 20.71 of the city code. Basically, trucks are limited to two hours' parking in residential areas.
Exceptions apply for vehicles being loaded or unloaded, and to those being used in a business that's located in a residential area.
You also ask about motor homes. The parking legalities here may be less well-defined. However, Section 20.67 prohibits parking on any highway for more than 48 consecutive hours.
If the parking site is off the street, such as in a yard or on private property, it may become a zoning question.
People can request zoning variances, but Evelyn Dorsey of the Zoning Department said no variance has allowed a commercial vehicle to be parked in a residential area.
For parking abuses on the street, police say they will check the vehicle, mark its tires and talk to the owner or operator.
Citations may follow. Remember, any law enforcement involves some discretion by the officer.
Got a question about something that might affect other people, too? Something you've come across and wondered about? Give us a call at 981-3118. Or, e-mail Roatimes@Infi.Net. Maybe we can find the answer.
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