Cheyenne Oversized Vehicle Ordinance Faces Committee Hearing Tonight

A controversial proposal to ban oversized vehicles from parking on Cheyenne streets will face a City Council Committee of the Whole hearing tonight.

The proposal The proposed law would ban parking oversized vehicles on city streets for more than 72 hours, allowing for the purpose of loading, unloading, winterizing or de-winterizing the vehicle.

The proposal defines 'oversized vehicle": "Oversized vehicle" shall mean any vehicle or any combination of vehicles which exceeds twenty-five (25) feet in length, seven (7) feet in width or eight (8) feet in height, exclusive of projecting lights and other devices allowed by title 31, chapter 5, article 9 of Wyoming statutes. "Oversized vehicle" shall not include any tractor unit subject to Section 10.52.020 of the Cheyenne city code;"

Changes Could Be Proposed Again

There have been efforts to amend the ordinance so that it wouldn't remain in effect through the summer months. One such proposal would take it out of effect from five days before Memorial Day until five days after Labor Day. That in large part is to address concerns about Cheyenne Frontier Days visitors who may park recreational vehicles on city streets. The other issue such amendments try to address is to allow the parking of such vehicles on the streets during the height of the summer recreation season.

But the proposed changes haven't won the support of opponents of the ban, who feel that since they pay vehicle registration fees they should be allowed to park their vehicles on city streets year-round. So far the proposed amendments have failed, but similar changes could come up again this evening in what will probably be the last committee hearing on the proposed ordinance before a likely decisive vote on the proposal on Third Reading next week.

Supporters of the ordinance say the oversize vehicles are a safety hazard because they impair vision and impede the flow of traffic. Opponents argue that the proposal is government overreach and an attempt to fix something that isn't an actual problem

Supporters Say A Silent Majority Supports the Ordinance

So far members of the public who have commented have been overwhelmingly and vehemently opposed to the proposal. But council members who support the measure say there is a silent majority in favor of it, even if they haven't  been showing up at meetings to voice their opinions.

Tonight's meeting is slated for 6 p.m. in City Council chambers in the Municipal Building at 2101 O'Neill Avenue. The Committee of the Whole includes all nine City Council members, but not Mayor Patrick Collins.