When the sun goes down, big-rig truck drivers parallel park on Baytech Drive in the Alviso neighborhood so they can rest for the night. It’s not illegal, but it is annoying, says City Councilman Kansen Chu.
Baytech is home to only a few office complexes, but Chu says overnight big rig parking is a problem in non-residential neighborhoods. Councilman Chu wants the Rules and Open Government Committee to discuss how to regulate the trucks when it meets Wednesday.
“There are several non-residential areas in the city where multiple big rigs park overnight, using dead-end streets or lightly traveled business areas as temporary truck stops,” Chu says in a memo.
The makeshift rest stops cost taxpayers money by wearing down city streets, Chu notes. Plus, they’re a nuisance to businesses and are unsafe because they narrow the drivable area of a street.
But right now, the city has no authority to cite them unless they break the 72-hour-in-one-spot rule.
Instead of posting up signs banning the semis from parking, Chu suggests the city adopt an outright ban on overnight parking for trucks weighing five or more tons. That way, police can collect fines and the onus is on truck companies to scope out designated commercial overnight parking spots.
More from the San Jose Rules and Open Government Committee agenda for June 12, 2013:
• Recently, some happy couples taking prom photos at a public park were stopped and told they have to shell out $100 for a city permit to do that. Crazy, right?
Vice Mayor Madison Nguyen says the city should update that policy to apply only to commercial photography, pictures used for profit.
“Libraries, museums, community centers and performance spaces open doors to knowledge and ideas, culture and enjoyment,” she writes in her memo. “Without these and other community facilities, life could be colorless and difficult, especially for those who can’t afford to travel or to pay high prices for services. These public spaces are meant to be utilized by residents and that includes the freedom to take photos.”
• This spring Councilman Don Rocha asked City Manager Debra Figone to justify the way she’s recruiting executive job openings. Rocha says so many city department heads were promoted from within that he worried outside talent wasn’t given a chance to compete. The Rules Committee will hear a report on that Wednesday.
• Assembleymember Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-Fullerton) introduced AB 466, a bill that would update formulas used to decide how much federal transportation money is allocated to a given metro area. San Jose recommends supporting the bill.
• Mayor Chuck Reed recommends increasing Figone and City Attorney Richard Doyle’s annual salary by 2 percent starting in June to keep pace with increases for the city’s non-sworn bargaining units.
• After his nailbiting defeat in the county supervisor primary, city gadfly and mayoral contender David Wall has thrown his support behind Cindy Chavez.
WHAT: Rules and Open Government Committee meets
WHEN: 2pm Wednesday
WHERE: City Hall, 200 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose
INFO: City Clerk, 408.535.1260
Why don’t we just build a truck stop? Maybe we can kill 2 birds with one stone here. The truckers will have a place to fuel up and rest, the hookers will flock there, and we won’t have to see metro and SJPOA have a pissing match over them because they’ll be out of site, out of mind.
Rocha says so many city department heads were promoted from within that he worried outside talent wasn’t given a chance to compete.
Translation: Oh man, I was hoping I could get my buddy a cushy job. Deb doesn’t my handsomeness work on you? Did I mention I model? Someone got me a job at the county for 90k, I was hoping to trade a city job for a 3rd state job, but that’s a no go if you don’t hire my buddy.
Madison, I like your line of thinking on photographing public spaces. No nonsense, makes sense, and not some hairbrained excuse to not let it happen.
After his nailbiting defeat in the county supervisor primary, city gadfly and mayoral contender David Wall has thrown his support behind Cindy Chavez.
David, I am disappointed with you. I would think between the time you spend here on SJI, and at city hall, you had some sense in you. You’ve made so many comments here that contradict you ever supporting her.
Did she buy you off with a new pair of Ben Davis overalls?
“Mayor Reed Recommends increasing Figone & City Attorney Doyle for a 2% raise to keep pace with increases for the cites nonsworn Bargaining units” What a kick in the teeth that is to all city workers! Aren’t those 2 already the highest paid city employees?? Never mind trying to make up the cuts that were imposed on nonsworn workers , but to give 2 individuals who have assisted the Mayor in destroying this city a raise??? They shouldnt get raises , they should get jail time
That comes out to an extra $6,000 or year or so for each of them. Of course, this is the same city council that gave the Independent Police Auditor, Ladoris Cordell, a 10% raise this past December, not to mention a big increase in her office and staff budget.
Raises for the police Auditor sound reasonable to me. SJPD being short staffed and over worked is going to have a lot more complaints from the public that will need to be dealt with and the auditor and staff will be the ones to deal with it. It’s like on Star Trek when the Enterprise is floundering after an attack and the Captain reroutes all power to shields and life support until he can figure out how to save the ship and accomplish the mission.
I can’t tell if you are being funny or serious. Captain Kirk and and the Enterprise being used as a comparison for Judge Cordell? Now that is a reach. This is more like the person in charge of guest services on the Titanic getting a raise because so many people are complaining to her that the ship is sinking.
No… something seems edited out of the original article. My comment made sense but had nothing to do with Cordell or Figone. Slight chance I read a different article in another tab and commented on the wrong article too. Whatever. CSJ has problems. SOS.
Unless and until our Officer’s pay is restored and raised, NO RAISES for ANYONE at City Hall.