Politics & Government

'For Sale' Cars to be Banned on Some Altadena Streets

A new county ordinance will ban cars left out for weeks on end on some Altadena streets.

The county's Board of Supervisors passed a preliminary version of a parking ordinance Tuesday that targets cars left out with "for sale" signs on certain streets in unincorporated Los Angeles County.

The ordinance is specifically geared towards car owners who "park vehicles for the purpose of advertising or displaying such vehicles for sale" on public streets.  The county will vote in an upcoming meeting to finalize the ordinance, though that is likely a formality as there was no opposition to the first draft, according to Tony Bell, a spokesman for County Supervisor Michael Antonovich.

The ordinance is not related to a on further restrictions overnight parking for large vehicles.  That proposal is in the hands of county officials but has not yet been passed by the Board of Supervisors.

Find out what's happening in Altadenawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The ban applies only to certain streets in county unincorporated areas.  In Altadena's case, that means:

  • Allen Avenue
  • Altadena Drive
  • Lake Avenue
  • Washington Avenue, between Bellford and Altadena Drive
  • Woodbury Road
  • Windsor Avenue

Based on the new ordinance language, parking officers would be able to impound any cars on those streets that a) appeared to be there primarily for the purpose of advertising or being sold or b) had previously received a warning within the last 30 days that the car could be impounded.

Find out what's happening in Altadenawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

According to the county staff report, unincorporated areas have seen a "proliferation" of cars parked with for sale signs on them and it is resulted in "negative impacts" for residents and businesses.

The report also states that previous county ordinances banned parked cars with for sale signs everywhere on county land, but county counsel had told parking officers not to enforce the ordinance because of other lawsuits in California cities that suggested that such a ban might not be legal.

A more limited ban that restricts parking on certain streets is more likely to be legally defensible, according to the report.

It remains to be seen whether parking officers will be dispatched to Altadena to actually enforce the new ordinance.


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