Council agrees to compromise

SOAP LAKE - The City of Soap Lake approved an ordinance regulating parking of commercial semi trucks and trailers Wednesday night.

According to the ordinance semi trucks and trailers can be parked within the city for a time period not to exceed 72 hours. If the same vehicle is disabled, it can be parked for up to 24 hours as long as it is not blocking traffic and is flagged on each end.

If the vehicles are parked longer than the specified time, they will be ticketed.

The ordinance was formulated after a committee consisting of police, councilmembers and semi truck drivers met and discussed a compromise after the city received complaints against the vehicles parking for long periods of time.

Councilmember DeVaun Black said the ordinance helps to allow the Soap Lake Police Department to enforce parking regulations. He said it serves as a compromise to benefit Soap Lake residents who drive semi trucks for a living.

Black said the purpose of the ordinance is to prevent the vehicles from being stored on the roadways.

Recreational trailers and other vehicles are not regulated under the newly adopted ordinance.