Springfield neighbors fight to change parking laws

People in Jacksonville's historic Springfield neighborhood are trying to change parking laws because they feel they're being unfairly ticketed.

It's illegal to park your car on a public street for more than 24 hours in Jacksonville.

Action News Jax has been looking into the issue and many neighbors say they just don't have anywhere else to park.

Driving through historic Springfield you quickly notice if you want to park you may only find space on the street.

Neighbor Kim Pryor says parking comes at a premium in the urban core.

She said many people don't have garages or driveways.

"These neighborhoods were planned and plotted before the automobile came to Jacksonville,” Pryor said.

That leads people to park on the street.

In Jacksonville, it's illegal for a vehicle to be parked on a public street or highway for more than 24 hours.

Sec. 804.633. - Unattended conveyances.

No vehicle, boat, trailer or other conveyance shall be parked on a public street or highway, street or highway right-of-way or public property not operated by the City as a parking area for longer than 24 hours. The Sheriff and the Public Parking Officer are authorized to impound and store the unattended vehicle, boat, trailer or other conveyance pursuant to Part 11 where the public safety requires it or after notice of the violation has been posted upon the vehicle, boat, trailer or other conveyance for a period of at least 24 hours. Violation of this Section shall constitute a class A offense.

“I just came back from my two weeks in the military at Fort Stewart,” neighbor Cindi Blanton said.

Blanton is a trauma nurse in the Army Reserve.

She said people living in Springfield might leave for the weekend, have a medical issue or go out of town for work for an extended period of time.

“I would actually have to have someone come and move my vehicle,” Blanton said.

Now Blanton and others are hoping to change the law.

“Our hope is to perhaps get a modification to the ordinance that would allow residents vehicles to be parked more than 24 hours," Pryor said.

“My guess is at this point there's not much of an appetite to pursue any kind of residential street parking program," City Council Vice President John Crescimbeni said.

Crescimbeni tells Action News Jax there are other parts of the city that have parking shortages.

"If we do it in Springfield, we're probably going to have to do it any other places and where does that stop?” Crescimbeni said.

Neighbors hope something can be done.

“Things change and while I understand the reason that the ordinance was drafted in the way it was, it does not accommodate those of us that live in the urban core," Pryor said.

Neighbors tell Action News Jax they plan on continuing to reach out to City Council to change the law.

Crescimbeni tells Action News Jax he's open to a conversation.

Cox Media Group