A plan to charge Evanston pickup truck owners $350 a year to park overnight in front of their homes was substantially watered down Monday night in response to citizen complaints about the proposal.
Revisions to the city’s rules about on-street parking for vehicles other than passenger cars have been under discussion for months.
The version of the plan presented to the Administration and Public Works Committee Monday night would have imposed the $350 fee on light trucks with “B” plates and passenger cars with fleet or “FP” plates, whether or not they carried commercial markings.
It would have limited to 200 the total number of such permits that could be issued citywide.
During discussion at the committee meeting, staff was directed to revise the proposal so that:
- Passenger cars and vehicles with “FP” or “B” plates that do not have commercial markings would not require a special permit.
- Passenger cars and vehicles with “FP” plates that do have commercial markings would require a special permit, but it would be issued at no charge.
- Pickup trucks with “B” plates and commercial markings would require a special permit that would cost $200. Those permits would limited to 20 per ward.
Ald. Bobby Burns (5th) said residents have complained to him that pickup trucks shouldn’t be treated differently than big SUVs like a Chevy Suburban that don’t require a special parking permit.
Ald. Devon Reid (8th) opposed reducing the permit fee, saying someone with “weird signage” on their truck needs to pay the full $350.
The revised version of the ordinance is schedule to be voted on at the committee’s next meeting on Monday, June 27.