By Deb Murphy
It all started with an Airstream parked on Whitney Portal Road in Lone Pine selling outdoor gear. It may have ended at Tuesday’s Inyo County Board of Supervisors’ meeting with a parking ordinance addressing specific issues in both Lone Pine and Independence.
A very brief background: The Airstream, Mt. Whitney Gear, was parked, long-term, on Whitney Portal Road at the U.S. Highway 395 intersection. People complained. Fifth District Supervisor Matt Kingsley leapt into action. Trying to update the County’s peddling ordinances or creating mobile vendor ordinances was not an immediate solution. Deputy County Counsel Terry Walker explained parking restrictions could be put in place if public safety was an issue. Everyone agreed, safety was an issue. Everyone also agreed, a very specific ordinance could be put in place as no one wanted to start restricting parking, carte blanc, in Inyo communities.
The ordinances are additions to existing County codes and only impact County right-of-ways, not Hwy, 395.
First, Lone Pine: Vehicles cannot be parked within 100-feet of the intersections of East and West Post streets, Whitney Portal Road or East and West Willow streets and 395 for more than four hours between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.. Those vehicles can’t be moved and then return to those areas until after 6 p.m. Also, vehicles seven-feet or more in height can’t park within 100-feet of those intersections between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Other intersections can be added by resolution.
Lone Pine Chamber of Commerce Director Kathleen New questioned how all that was going to be put on a sign.
Next, Independence: Fourth District Supervisor Mark Tillemans managed to sooth a long-festering Independence wound by adding an ordinance that banned commercial trucks, weighing 10,000 lbs. or more, from parking in specified residential areas from 2 to 6 a.m. The restricted area includes West Park Street from Edwards to South Washington Street and South Washington Street to West Citrus Street.
What about enforcement? According to County Counsel Marshall Rudolph, while enforcement is important to consider, it’s not necessary to address that issue when approving an ordinance. The assumption: if a violation is egregious, it will elicit complaints and be dealt with.
The ordinances go into effect August 10, 30 days from approval. With any luck, the other shoe of unintended consequences will not drop and this will be the end of one long, strange trip.
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I think its about time for some new leadership this group of Supers is a joke and clearly taking the side of one business in town without considering the competitive rights for all forms of business to succeed in Inyo. Just because its not a brick and mortar business doesn’t mean it should be bullied upon by traditional brick and mortar stores who cant be creative and pull in business fairly. Clear abuse of power and lack of quality judgment by the district Supervisor in LP. Would be nice to get some new blood in these Super seats maybe a woman or person with some ethnicity that would provide a diverse viewpoint and actually question or challenge the decisions and motives of other Supervisors instead of just going along with whatever the others want.
Glad this is being done…..not only an eye-sore in town,but parked in a spot when making a turn west on Whitney Portal Rd.,if not careful,an accident waiting to happen….nothing worse than out-of-towners finding loop-holes in something and profiting,as well as taking business away from long-time local business’…..
Well they just took business away from a business
An ordinance for both Lone Pine and Independence because one supervisor got involved ? There’s been complaints for years about the big rig parking in the Country Kitchen parking lot for years now? Care to do anything, Supervisor Tillemans?
Country Kitchen is not zoned for overnight parking but nothing is being done about it. I guess the residents that neighbor the restaurant don’t rate.