The city of Warrenton is making it clear that drivers of heavy commercial trucks should think twice before parking their vehicles at home.

Warrenton aldermen voted Dec. 3 to limit the parking of vehicles over 24,000 pounds on residential property. Such parking is now prohibited if the residence is accessed by a street with a posted weight limit or commercial vehicle restriction.

The new ordinance doesn’t ban the day-to-day operation of delivery trucks, emergency vehicles or utility trucks on the job. But it does prevent homeowners in several areas from keeping those kinds of trucks at home.

A second ordinance clarifying exceptions when large vehicles are allowed on weight-limited streets was passed on the same night.

City Administrator Terri Thorn told the board of aldermen these rules clarify what was already a general city policy.

“Both of these solidify the inability to drive a vehicle on a street that is marked with a sign that says it doesn’t allow a vehicle over 24,000 pounds,” Thorn said. “And (they) make it clear that you can’t drive the vehicle on the street to get to private parking.” 

The rules follow a lengthy debate earlier this year between the board of aldermen and a tow truck driver who had sought an exception to park his tow truck at home. The driver in question told aldermen in August that having the truck there allows faster response to emergency calls.

The driver acknowledged that the massive weight of the truck was probably causing damage to his neighborhood street. However, he argued that city ordinance allows an exception for commercial trucks to drive on residential streets, as long as they are traveling between home and work. 

When and where such an exception exists was the crux of the ambiguity that has now been cleared up, city officials said.

The ordinance places a specific emphasis on the presence of signs posted to ban large trucks on a street. Notably, if signs aren’t posted, commercial truck drivers are granted the exception to bring their vehicles home, explained city attorney Christopher Graville. But if a weight limit sign is posted, that’s when the city can start writing tickets.

Warrenton’s ordinances are designed to keep massive trucks off residential streets as much as possible, as many of those streets aren’t built to withstand significant truck traffic. One of the ordinances spells out permanent exceptions for major thoroughfares like Highway 47 and Highway M, which are built for large vehicle traffic. There also are individual exceptions for trucks making deliveries or doing work within a neighborhood.