Truckers protest parking ordinance for residential properties

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla — Residents living in western Palm Beach County are fired up over a parking ordinance that centers around big rigs and other large commercial vehicles on residential property.

On Monday, over a hundred farmers, truckers, and landscapers joined in solidarity to protest against Palm Beach County’s Code Enforcement. Natalia Melian is leading the charge.

“We need help. We need to be heard. We’re the majority out here,” said Melian. She and her husband own a local trucking company and claim their livelihood is in jeopardy without being able to park their trucks at home.

“If I have to take the truck out of my house we’re talking about, I have to take it to a yard where there are no available yards anywhere,” said Melian.

Since 2019 homeowners in Palm Beach County are only allowed one commercial vehicle, but it can’t exceed 12,500 pounds and be no longer than 26 feet high. A recent enforcement crackdown has led many business owners to raise thousands of dollars in fines.

“Our fines were in excess of three hundred thousand dollars which were rescinded to zero, and then they are starting it again with threatening of fines,” said Neil Elkin, Owner of Earth and Turf Landscaping Inc.

The group maintains the code enforcement isn’t just hurting businesses and families who own recreational and multiple commercial vehicles. The calls for change have since caught the attention of State Representative Rick Roth. He and residents are now calling for a temporary moratorium to stop the fines and have county leaders revisit the issue.

“Now is not the right time to crack down on them. They’re starting to enforce regulations that they changed a couple of years ago,” said Roth. “It’s really causing people to have to move off of their property. These people are using their property to whether they’re a nursery grower or a commercial trucker they’re using their own homesteaded property in order to facilitate their business.”

Plans for a second rally are in the works for next month and will be held outside the county’s code enforcement office.