Reader George Washington writes about a City of Whitewater notice concerning the number of cars that municipal regulations permit to be parked at a single-family home at any given time. Washington’s remarks in black, my reply in blue.
Washington writes:
A few landlords have recently received letter stating (due to complaints) that an old ordinance will soon be enforced once again. The ordinance states that no more than 2 vehicles can be parked in any driveway at any time at a home zoned single family. The letter stated that any vehicles beyond the 2 would be ticketed by the city. This only affects about 90% of student housing which is zoned single family!!!! I was informed of this by my landlord today.
Adams replies:
Well, we may be sure that Dr. Roy Nosek — who advocated this approach as far back as August 2007 during a slideshow presentation to the Common Council, will be pleased. One might think that a violation of this type would be ‘fairly innocuous,’ but City Manger Kevin Brunner reserves that term for other matters, it seems.
It’s embarrassing, and injurious to the reputation of the city, to enforce an asinine ordinance like this. We are a college town, seemingly at war with college students, all the while pretending that enforcement is only about aesthetics, beauty, and impartiality.
Our fussy administration is ever-worried about the reputation of the city, but has not the slightest idea that how to secure a good reputation. We could easily find better use of time and effort than this.
You know, the only thing more ridiculous would be a war on dumpsters.
Sadly, we’ve waged that silly campaign, too.