Bridgeport pursues fence permit, off-street parking requirements

BRIDGEPORT – The city needs to add a fence permit and off-street parking requirement to its municipal code. That is the message Superintendent of Public Instruction Stuart Dezellem told the regular monthly meeting of the city council on July 17.

“We have to have a fence permit required,” said Dezellem. “It’s not so much for the city, it’s for the customer.”

Dezellem said a permit will clarify such basics as city right-of-way encroachment, proper height, and related details. Permit guidelines will avoid code enforcement violations that result in added work and expense for the builder, who then must revisit and redo a fence that does not conform to code.

“It’s so much simpler to solve those issues before anybody puts any manpower or money into building a fence,” Dezellem said.

Off street parking

The council continues to pursue a requirement that each homeowner provide two spaces for off-street parking.

“Two spaces is not going to entirely alleviate the problem,” said Dezellem, “but it is going to help manage some of the problem.”

Winter snow plowing is the primary issue.

“We have all seen what parking on the street does during the wintertime,” said Dezellem. “It is an issue in the summer, too, trying to maintain vegetation and those kinds of things.”

Mayor Sergio Orozco said the city is making some progress toward getting problem vehicles addressed.

“We have sent out letters to people who have vehicles parked in city rights-of-way that have moved in quite some time,” said Orozco. “For the most part, we have gotten good feedback.”

Orozco said the problem is one the city must resolve both for the benefit of the city and residents who complain about vehicles buried in plowed snow.

Dezellem said he would gather examples from other cities that have fence permits and off-street parking ordinances. In the meantime, council members Zeke Martinez and Mike Bjornstad have been assigned to a committee to study both issues and bring their recommendations to a future council meeting.

Mike Maltais: 360-333-8483 or michael@ward.media