From the Chicago Dispatcher, November 2007
Skokie Parking Debate Heats Up
After voicing their concerns, drivers wait for a Village Board meeting November 5 to find out where they can park
By: Jonathan Bullington
The fate of taxicab parking in Skokie could be decided at an upcoming Village Board meeting Monday, November 5.
In the past, taxicabs were exempt from an ordinance banning commercial vehicles from parking on residential streets. All that changed, however, with the passage of a new ordinance, set to go into effect November 1, stating that cabs in the village can no longer be parked on public streets or private property in commercial or residential areas.
Angered by what they see as an unfair ordinance, Skokie cabdrivers and their supporters gathered outside the Village Hall during a Village Board meeting October 15th to express their anger and to urge Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen to reconsider the parking ban, even though the ordinance was not on the agenda and, therefore, no decision would be made.
The parking ordinance is on the agenda for the November 5th meeting. In the weeks leading up to this meeting, drivers have proposed two main alternatives to the parking ban.
Covering taxicabs with tarps
One proposed alternative called for cabs parked on residential streets or private property to be covered with vehicle tarps. However, in agenda documents, the Village states that this option is not an acceptable alternative. The Village says that:
“Placing a cover over a taxicab, livery vehicle or other commercial truck or vehicle will not make its parking in a residential area legal. The covering of a vehicle will also bring up issues of storage versus active use, which cannot easily be determined by a Property Standards Inspector or the Police. A tarp covering a vehicle on a public street complicates a Police Officer's ability to clearly see into a vehicle to see if anything is amiss and ensure public safety…. Although covering the vehicle may address visual concerns of some residents, the real issue is that a commercial vehicle is being parked in the open in a residential zoning district in violation of the vehicle parking regulations.”
Reinstating the taxicab exemption and using GPS to assist in its enforcement.
One reason given by the Village as to why the former exemption was changed had been that police officers found it difficult to determine which taxicab was parked on a given street first. With this proposal, drivers attempt to aid in enforcement by using their in-cab GPS to determine the first cab parked on a street. However, the Village again rejects this proposal in meeting agenda documents, stating:
“If called upon to mediate such a dispute, one could not reasonably rely on the accuracy of taxicab company-generated records since arguably they have a vested interest in the outcome of the decision. If both taxicab drivers were to present 'official documentation' supplied by their respective companies, implicating the other taxicab as the offending party, the veracity of all submitted documentation would be called into question.”
Village Alternatives
At the Village Board meeting November 5, the Village will present options for taxicab parking, including the following:
1. Garages in residential neighborhoods: the Village will discuss the possibility of drivers renting garage spaces from single-family and multi-family residences throughout the Village.
2. Skokie Swift: This parking option was originally presented by the Village. It calls for taxicabs to be parked in Skokie Swift parking lots, located to the north and south of Dempster Street. These lots will require a fee during hours the train is in operation, usually 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
3. Commercial Zoning Districts: This option would allow drivers to make “parking arrangements in zoning districts. For example, if a business owner provides permission and the parking available at that business is in excess of the required parking, then an arrangement can be made.”
4. Industrial Areas: This option allows taxicab drivers to park their cabs in industrial areas, provided arrangements are made with the property owners if applicable.
Additionally, the Village will discuss the prospect of allowing taxicabs to park in Skokie municipal parking lots. Sites selected include: Dempster and East Prairie, Dempster and Kimball, Oakton and the CTA tracks, Niles Center and Oakton, Lincoln and Niles Center and on McCormick between Howard and Touhy. This option would require drivers to obtain a license upon establishment of proof of residency and documentation of ownership or lease of the vehicle.
