KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Kissimmee residents who park work trucks in front of their homes could soon see a change in what’s allowed — and how the rules are enforced.
The Kissimmee City Commission is taking up an ordinance that would update criteria for commercial vehicles in residential districts.
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The proposed change would raise the weight limit for commercial vehicles allowed in residential zones from 8,000 pounds to 10,000 pounds and introduce a new standard for measuring vehicle size.
The ordinance would use Gross Vehicle Weight Rating — or GVWR — to determine whether a commercial vehicle is permitted in a residential area. GVWR is the maximum weight a vehicle can safely operate, as established by the manufacturer, and includes the weight of the vehicle, passengers, cargo, fuel and additional equipment.
City staff arrived at the 10,000-pound maximum after comparing rules in other Central Florida jurisdictions. The GVWR standard is intended to make enforcement clearer for vehicle owners, property owners and code officers alike. The rating can be found on the vehicle’s Safety Compliance Certification Label, located on the driver’s side door frame or door latch pillar, in the owner’s manual, or on the manufacturer’s website.
Joseph Schaefer, a Kissimmee handyman, said the ability to park a work vehicle at home can have a direct impact on what customers pay.
“If [the owner’s] got to pay for parking in a storage unit someplace, so he can’t park in front of his house, even though he’s got the room, it costs him,” Schaefer said. “And when he has a cost like that, he’s got to pass that on to the consumer — so that means everybody’s going to have to pay more if he can’t park his truck in his driveway.”
Still, Schaefer acknowledged the issue isn’t black and white.
“But as far as a neighborhood in appearance, it doesn’t look good,” he said. “So, it’s got good points and it’s got bad points, it just depends on how you look at it.”
Under the proposed ordinance, one commercial vehicle at or under 10,000 pounds GVWR would be permitted on a residential property, provided it is used by a resident of the premises. The rule applies both to vehicles parked in driveways and those stored in an enclosed garage.
The ordinance also continues to allow many take-home work vehicles, such as vans used by plumbers and electricians.
The Kissimmee City Commission tabled this item at its April 7, meeting to allow staff more time to research an appropriate weight maximum. The commission subsequently held a workshop before arriving at the 10,000-pound figure.
The commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the ordinance at its meeting tonight at 6 p.m. This is a first reading of the proposed ordinance; if approved on first reading, it will come back for a second reading and final vote at a later date.