advertisement

Will Mundelein ban overnight parking?

Mundelein residents no longer would be able to park cars overnight in front of their homes under a proposal unveiled Monday night.

Police Chief Eric Guenther proposed the restrictions during a public safety committee meeting at village hall. About 50 people attended the session, which had been promoted on social media for days.

Guenther suggested banning street parking for a short time in the early morning hours, such as between 2 and 6 a.m. or between 3 and 5 a.m.

Guenther said limiting street parking at night could:

• Minimize crimes of opportunity, because cars parked on the street are easier targets for burglars than cars on driveways.

• Reduce the potential for vehicle accidents.

• Make it easier for public works crews to remove snow, clean streets and handle other tasks.

• Improve fire trucks' access to emergencies in residential areas.

Conversely, Guenther noted people with large families and multiple cars might find it cumbersome to keep their vehicles off the street. He also said some people might not like having to call police to get permission for occasional overnight parking.

But that's what people in most suburbs have to do.

Mundelein police surveyed 38 towns and found only six that don't have overnight parking restrictions.

Rules in the other town vary from partial overnight bans to 24-hour bans, Guenther said.

Exemptions could be granted under special circumstances, such as when a driveway is being sealcoated or a homeowner has overnight guests. People simply would need to call the department and get permission.

"We want you to have the ability to have guests overnight," Guenther told the crowd.

After Guenther wrapped up his presentation, about a dozen people shared their opinions on the proposal. Some favored a parking ban, but most opposed it.

Resident Michael Atkinson said he doesn't have room to park one of his vehicles in his garage. Additionally, he said he doesn't want to call police to ask permission for guests to park at his home.

Resident Polly Andrews favors a ban.

Her street is narrow and cars parked on the road make driving "a real hazard," she said.

If the village board approves street-parking restrictions, they won't take effect immediately.

Officials first would publicize the rules through news releases, the village newsletter, social media and other tools.

Additionally, Guenther said only warnings would be issued for the first 30 days the rules are in place.

No timeline was discussed Monday.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.