Lansford Borough Council hopes to hammer out an ordinance banning oversized vehicles on borough streets.

Councilman Bill Chuma read a proposed ordinance drafted by Solicitor Robert Yurchak, and sought input from fellow council members before advertising the new rules for adoption.

The ordinance comes in the wake of multiple tractor-trailer drivers parking their trailers along Cortright Street and then parking the tractors near their homes. Parking isn’t sufficient on borough streets for tractors, causing unsafe conditions, Chuma said.

The current fines under existing ordinance are $3 a day, which won’t deter truck drivers, he said. Proposed fines start at $75 and range up to $300 a day, Chuma said.

The proposed ordinance also looks at all oversized vehicles, which include construction vehicles, commercial buses, motorhomes, moving vans, box vans, trailers, house trailers, recreational trailers, campers, transport trailers and limousines.

The proposed ordinance also addresses vehicles exceeding 28½ feet in length, and vehicles with a gross weight of over 19,500 pounds, Chuma said.

Oversized vehicles will not be permitted on borough streets under the proposed ordinance, and parking would be designated at the lot near the Sports Zoo between April 1 and Nov. 30, and at the Lansford pool lot between Dec. 1 and March 31.

Hazardous trailers, waste trailers, gas trucks or trailers, oil trucks or trailers, and other designated trailers would not permitted to be parked anywhere in the borough limits, according to the proposed ordinance.

A temporary permit could be obtained to park an oversized vehicle adjacent to an address where they are doing business with the consent of the occupant of that address, he said.

Chuma pointed to a situation in which someone angle parked a truck tractor on Bertsch Street over the holiday weekend, effectively blocking one lane of traffic, he said. He was issued a ticket.

Lansford police called the company to have the driver move the truck Saturday morning, and six hours later, the truck remained, Chuma said. He instructed police to use a bullhorn, and see if they could get the driver to move the vehicle. The borough had to have the vehicle towed, Chuma said.

“This has got to stop. It’s all over town,” he said. “There’s like five or six tractors being parked in town. This is ridiculous. They leave the trucks down on Cortright Street.”

Residents questioned how drivers would be notified of the proposed ordinance, and if it would be published. Chuma said the borough would issue them a warning first and leave a copy of the ordinance.

Council President Bruce Markovich asked if a small trailer, like a 6-by-6-foot trailer towed by a vehicle, would be illegal, and Chuma said yes.

“It’s taking up a parking space for a car,” he replied.

Markovich said he thought they were trying to address large truck parking, and Chuma said they’re trying to address everything.

Chuma pointed to people parking trailers, boats and motorhomes on the streets, and he said they should be off the street, too.

Residents questioned people who need a trailer to load and unload items, and Chuma said if they’re using it, that isn’t a problem. It becomes a problem when it’s left in the street, he said.

Markovich asked about mobile medical trucks that would come to town, and if they would be allowed to park. Chuma said they could get a permit.

Council could act on advertising the proposed ordinance at its regular meeting on Wednesday night. Following advertising requirements, the ordinance could be adopted at a later meeting, possibly in July.