Can I park here, and for how long?

As the population in Snohomish County grows, so does the number of vehicles parking on the street.

Several readers, some annoyed by neighbors, wanted to know if there were any regulations when it comes to parking semi-trucks and RVs along the public right of way.

One woman was frustrated after a neighbor parked a motorhome across the street from her house, and then when confronted responded by placing another vehicle directly in front of her home. Living in an unincorporated part of the county she wanted to know if she had any recourse.

Another question came from an Everett resident about several semi-trucks, logging company vehicles and cargo vans parked on South Broadway near 75th Street SE for several days in a row.

“Should these vehicles be parked here or is this a new unmarked public parking lot for commercial vehicles?” she asked in an email.

Rules for on-street parking vary across the county.

Parking regulations for Snohomish County roads don’t address time limits, “but rather provide guidance on when a vehicle will be removed,” Dale Valliant, the county’s traffic operations supervisor, said in an email.

This includes if a vehicle obstructs traffic, denies access, is parked in a prohibited or restricted area, or if a vehicle is likely to endanger any user of the roadway, he added.

The rules are the same for semi-trucks and motorhomes.

In Everett, in general, cars cannot park on a city street in one spot for longer than 72-hours.

“To be considered ‘moved,’ a vehicle must pass through an intersection,” according to the city’s website. There are a few streets in the city where no overnight parking is allowed.

More restrictions apply to larger vehicles. Those longer than 20 feet, wider than 8 feet or heavier than 16,000 pounds are prohibited from parking in residential areas (unless they are on a job, loading or an emergency vehicle), according to Kari Goepfert, a spokesperson for the city. Outside residential zones semi-trucks can park for 72 hours at a time.

Motorhomes are allowed to park in residential areas, but are limited to 24 hours.

For Marysville streets, vehicles, including RVs, may remain parked in the public right of way in one place for up to 24 hours, unless a different time limit is posted, according to Dave Vasconi, an officer with the city’s police department.

Semi-trucks are not allowed to park on city streets, except if it is an emergency vehicle, a city or public utility truck at work or is being unloaded or providing a service, such as construction, carpentry, plumbing or landscaping, Vasconi added.

In Edmonds, parking on most downtown streets is limited to two or three hours (between midnight and 6 p.m., except Sundays and holidays), said Bertrand Hauss, a transportation engineer for the city. At other locations parking is restricted to 72 hours.

Overnight parking, between midnight and 6 a.m. in residential areas is not allowed by boat trailers, mobile homes, trailer homes and vehicles over 10,000 pounds.

Got a question? Email me at streetsmarts@heraldnet.com or call 425-374-4165. Please include your name and city of residence.