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Marietta City Council committees discussed various topics during their meetings Thursday night including what to do about people living in cars and parking on city right-of-ways.
During the Streets committee meeting, Mayor Josh Schlicher brought up the issue of people living in parked cars to committee chairman Bill Gossett and asked what the solution could be.
"Those who live at the Ohio Street condos have witnessed a gray S10 parking at the end of Third Street under the old bridge ramp and disposing of items out of the vehicle as if they were living there," said Schlicher. "They have expressed concern with those who pay taxes to live near there and they have also posed a safety concern."
Schlicher also stated that welfare checks have been made by city police and that there is no signage that prohibits 24-hour parking or living in vehicles. The committee tossed around ideas about adding signage that limits parking or residing in a parked vehicle, in relation to the signage in East Muskingum Park. The park signage details hours of the park to help with camping in tents during the night.
Although the committee conferred about signage, they brought up the fact that the area in which they would place signage is a high traffic parking area for various city events such as City Cleanup Days and the annual Sternwheel Festival and would not work.
Council President Susan Vessels brought up a possible adaptable law from Grove City, Ohio, that dealt with a similar issue for overnight sleeping in cars. Law Director Paul Bertram said that he would take a look at the Grove City law, decide if it would fit the Marietta issue, and make a decision on what to do from there.
"I would never be in favor of making homelessness illegal. The emergency shelter would be a great help in this situation," Gossett said. "It's a sanitary and safety issue for those sleeping in their vehicles."
In other Streets related business, Project Manager/Engineering Technician Dave Hendrickson talked to the committee about the issue of people parking on city right-of-ways. The main issue brought about is citizens having parking in front of their homes, but the parking was included in a city right-of-way.