Over Night Parking?

[MtnCove Resident]

I read that several people are against stopping people from parking on the street. I'm wondering which streets these people live on. I grew up in a city that did not allow over night parking without a special daily permit. And that is pretty much what I personally like. It reduces crime. I makes the community look nicer. It protects home values.

I keep my cars in my garage. I don't even use my driveway. I'm wondering if it would be possible to not allow parking on some streets while allowing it on others. For example, if we would not allow over night parking on streets with Copperwoods and allow it on the others, that would be fine with me.

For me it is simple, deciding whether I want less crime, protect my house values, and a more beautiful street to live on or to be able to park on the street over night. I pick the first. Obviously, there are residents that pick the later. If they live on streets other than mine, I don't mind. If they live on my street, I don't really want it and would like to keep the CC&R's the way they are. If they live on other streets and their neighbors don't mind, I don't mind the CC&R's being changed.

What do you guys think?

[Cover]

I say move the van off the grass first.
The home and Van in question are located in the Copperwoods.

What an Eye Sore!

Next move on to people living here over a year with no yard put in what so ever.

Fix these things then we can open dialouge on street parking.

[Concerned]

I feel that the CC&Rs should be observed. We all knew or should have known that the overnight restriction exists. The rules were clearly revealed when we bought our homes.

All Mountain Cove homes have at least a 2 car garage (some 3) and room for 2 more cars in the driveway. Unfortunately, some folks simply keep too much stuff in their garages. As a result they limit their available parking. I would suspect that is the case with most people who advocate changing the CC&Rs. Out of common courtesy those w/ excess belongings should rent a storage unit, sell the items or otherwise thin-out their stuff.

I also find it interesting that many people who fail to observe the restriction, freely park their cars in front of their neighbors homes and in some cases prefer to do so, rather than park in front of their own residence, driveway or garage. Many of the cars are service type vehicles that are an eyesore and are further restricted by the CC&Rs.

In my opinion, the streets just look better without all the car clutter and don't forget the fact that less opportunity for crimianl behavior is also a benefit.

[snogirl]

I too lived in a city that did not allow overnight parking and I agree that it makes the streets look nicer.

The only issue I have with not allowing overnight parking in Mountain Cove, is that in those city that don't allow it, you can get a tempary parking pass to allow you to park overnight when needed.

So if you have visiting guests they can park in the street for the few days they are here. In La Verne, you can get the pass from a dispenser at the local elementary school or you can go to the police department, in Pasadena, you can call your car (license plate number) in to the police station (I think you only get 3-5 a year).

If Mountain Cove had a similar policy, I'd be all for it. I agree that regular residents should not need to park in the street, but exceptions should be allowed.

[SAGEWOOD RESIDENT]

I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE NO OVER NIGHT PARKING ALLOWED ON THE STREEETS. WHY CHANGE RULES WHEN IT BENEFITS THE COMMUNITY?. I LIVE NEXT TO SOMEBODY WHO HAS MANY CARS PARKED ON THEIR DRIVEWAY OR ON THE STREET IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE AND ITS IRRITATING ME. I SAY PLEASE IMPLEMENT THE RULES.

[Covees]

I agree. Follow the CC & Rs you knew were in place when you purchased here. We do not need cars parked on the streets overnight. If you can't get your cars in your garage or driveway you have too many cars or too much stuff...move it into the house but get the cars off the streets at night.

[Happy Resident]

Although I agree with fewer cars on the streets would lessen the eye sore, make driving through the street easier...etc. But you should remember too that there are many that are working and cannot clean up their years of stuff collected. Those of you that have been in your place 2 years or more have less of an excuse per se than the newbies.

Fortunately, we didn't come with the amount of stuff most others have.... We also happen to know which cars belong to our neighbors in our coldesac and don't have a problem with them parking on the street. So as for crime...we stay aware of our surroundings. If you have a problem with your neighbor parking in front of your home CONSISTENTLY, maybe you should learn some people skills and communicate with your neighbor.

Bear with it for the time being and QUIT the GRIPING. Too much griping without CONSTRUCTIVE SOLUTIONS doesn't do a thing but create a bitter atmosphere.

And as for the comment by the "MtnCove Resident" ... I think you need to come down from that "high and mighty pedestal"....you ONLY live in a home slightly larger than others here...but that is it! You definitely make the word SNOB reality.

As for the CC&R's.... start ticketing those that don't follow the rules. 'Course, harmonious living in our community seem to get spoiled by COMPLAINERS that seem to have nothing better to do. Things are NOT ALWAYS so black and white. I do agree with SnoGirl that a permit for occassional times of overnight parking is necessary like for out of town guests.

Count your blessings! There's more to life than you seem to notice!

[Brooksider]

How presumptious of the original author to think that those in the Copperwoods are somehow better than the rest of us with the parking issue.

"Cover" was correct in pointing out the fact about that nasty white van that for the last two years has been parked in the front yard (cannot call it front lawn, because after two years there still is no lawn or other landscaping).

Although I only live in a Wildwood, I have not seen a nicer street in terms of parking than Brookside. 90% of the time there is not a single car parked on the street and usually when there is one parked on the street it belongs to someone on a neighboring street.

Personally, I would be in favor of enforcing the "no overnight parking" that we are all supposed to follow. Really, anybody that does not adhere to this has no right to complain about the gate/guard issue, dog poop, (mis)use of the pool, or any other issue.

For once, let's act like we live in a first class neighborhood instead of Fontana or Moreno Valley. Just because we live in a planned community does not mean we have to behave like a (909) or (951) community!

[IslandGirl]

Are you kidding.....just because Pasadena and others do not allow overnight parking you think that rasies property values? Don't kid yourself. I lived in Pasadena and was happy to leave because of the restriction. I was lucky and had a 150 foot driveway but my neighbors did not and if they forgot or had company they got a ticket. Pasadena did not have that rule just for property values...it was $ in their pocket. Also what a hassle. I called about a permit..what a joke it would be easier to become president (of the US) Who thinks your property values go up because you have to hassle a permit? If you want property values to go up get a guard at the gate...and stop complaining.....get a life....

[Lone Ranger]

Absolutely...I couldn't figure that home value thing out myself. I agree, get a guard and that alone will drive home values up. I mentioned that whole thing about the guard situation...i hired a company to guard our studio equipment and trucks around the clock seven days a week and all they need is a "shack" with power and a phone line...the bathroom is at the rec center..dont over analyze and we might get this thing off the ground.

[McLite]

IslandGirl said:

Are you kidding.....just because Pasadena and others do not allow overnight parking you think that rasies property values? Don't kid yourself. I lived in Pasadena and was happy to leave because of the restriction. I was lucky and had a 150 foot driveway but my neighbors did not and if they forgot or had company they got a ticket. Pasadena did not have that rule just for property values...it was $ in their pocket.

...and stop complaining.....get a life....

Well, I don't know about the other poster, but I'm not kidding: at least when it comes to homes in the San Gabriel Valley, there is a corelation between property values and the no-overnight parking restriction. And that's really what we're talking about: the entire city. MC's CC&R's already disallow overnight parking. The only way property values would be affected is if the entire city were to enact the restriction.

And I would give anything for Azusa to be more like Pasadena in just about any aspect: property values, entertainment, culture, crime & safety, pride of homeownership. Let's be real: overall, they are in much better shape than we are (so is Monrovia, Glendora, San Dimas - what do you know? They all have such parking restrictions in place)... I'm not saying that's the magic band-aid for Azusa. There are a number of things the city needs to do, especially when it comes to code enforcement. There's a whole thread on the other board about how ticked off people are about Azusa's total lack of cajones in forcing homeowners to keep their properties up to appearance & building standards.

I definitely agree with you that cities like Sierra Madre and Pasadena embrace the revenue generated from the parking permits... but in a time when cities' general funds are weaker, what is so wrong about a relatively nominal annual fee for overnight parking? And really, residences shouldn't be cramming their garages (and especially not their driveways) with inanimate junk. They're supposed to be for parking... and streets aren't intended for permanent parking anyway. (Azusa actually does have a 72-hour restriction in place - not that such a loose law is the least bit enforceable).

My opinion is that we need to look beyond just what to do here (and certainly beyond just parking), but also to demand that the city start enforcing their standards throughout Azusa. Property values nor the quality of life here will ever really improve if we just keep looking at MC as a diamond in the rough, and constantly figuring out ways to "keep Azusa out." We are Azusa - at least a part of it. The whole of Azusa is what isn't living up to its potential.

Finally, I have to comment on your telling people who disagree with you to "get a life." Okay, it's a given that it's rude and petulant to say that. But I'd give more credit to people who are concerned about the state of their neighborhoods and who are looking for solutions. That is part of life.

And really? Couldn't saying something like that actually just be construed as a knee-jerk reaction from someone with their own unnecessarily jam-packed garage? I mean, I could always come back with, "get a storage space!"

[IslandGirl]

LETS GET A GUARD SO WHOEVER PARKS HERE, USES THE POOL ETC LIVES HERE!!!! THIS WILL RAISE OUR PROPERTY VALUES!!! CALL ME AT 818 516-1056 AND LETS MEET, GET NUMBERS THEN SIGNATURES TO GET THIS OFF THE TALKING STAGE AND INTO REALITY!!!!!!!

[29Mossdale]

IslandGirl is onto a terrific ideal for us, let's have the association ticket and fine vehicles parked overnight. Think of the revenue we can generate, which we can use to pay for the 24-hour security. We get two items accomplished at one time. Why can't our association send out a letter to every residence, reminding everyone of our no overnight packing, announcing a grace period, and then start ticketing vehicles, or fining residents. It was done for the landscaping, it should be done for overnight parking.

[IslandGirl]

I would like to know what to do with overnight guest who come in on a days notice? I have guests that come once or twice a month and do not know until the day of......In Pasadena it was impossible to get a permit so people parked across the sidewalk.. and on the lawn...that must be great for property values. In the CC&R's there is no mention of guests so according to my "in house counsel" you cannot enforce any of the provisions. If we get a guard though you can keep out those that do not belong here.

Also I know you cannot have a yard sale here but in order to get rid of some of the garbage that has been collected (valuables to others) could we have a 1 weekend a year "collectable sale" for the entire community and hold it on the lawn area?? Any thoughts....maybe then we would clear out our garages....

[Ediquette]

Maybe we can use the Mountain Cove passes for when there might be police stops due to Angeles Forest entry area.... Have one of those displayed on the dash...

Course..it would mean a bit of honesty...the MC pass being for guests.

Oh...that one weekend a year sounds great...Can we try to get that approved???

[Ediquette]

sorry for that sad face question mark above.... didn't know how I did that one.

[Hillsider]

Is there a more obnoxious and uneducated sounding poster than Island Girl???

Stick to your Princess Parties, Island Girl, and leave the posting for the rest of us. I am afraid that YOU are going to drive property values down just by opening your mouth.

[McLite]

Guest-Hillsider said:

Is there a more obnoxious and uneducated sounding poster than Island Girl??? .

All I've ''got'' from her posts is that she really HATES Pasadena - which I see as a wonderful, benchmark of a city - and one that Azusa should model itself after (of course on a smaller scale) at all costs!

She doesn't like overnight parking restrictions. (I would advise anyone to drive elsewhere in Azusa - say Vernon Ave. below the 210 freeway down to Gladstone Street to get an idea of what being *without* a parking restriction looks like)...

And she apparently dislikes the restriction so much, that she made a wild claim of Pasadena having an epidemic of people parking cars on their lawns and sidewalks to avoid tickets. (FYI IslandGirl, not only have I never noticed that when I lived in Pasadena, but parking on a lawn or sidewalk would *also* cause people to get citations.)

The whole property value thing is not only unimportant to the issues, it's just not relevant to having a guard at the gate. What drives property values upward is the overall median home price of your city.

New construction will raise property values, but in time neglected pre-existing neighborhoods (which Azusa has far too much of) will pull the market back down. We at MC are already built-out and sold. And though Monrovia Nursery's development will help sustain that momentum, ultimately it takes overall community improvement to keep the value afloat.

But more important are the quality-of-life benefits to such improvements. I for one hope that the entire City of Azusa will soon phase-in restricted overnight parking. The domino-effect of that would make a real difference to all of us.

[Comment to Hillslide]

Why don't you slide back that hill you are on, and climb back into the hole you crawled out of.

I think you are rude vain and useless to this message board!!!!!

[IslandGirl]

FYI Hillsider I had a neighbor in Pasadena who parked every night across their driveway and was never cited. I do take exception to your comment that I hated pasadena. The restaurants, Especially JJ's are nice. Norton Simon is excellent as well as the Rose Parade but I did hate the parking restrictions and trash collection. For all of you that think that no overnight parking raises your property values why don't you look at the property values in Rancho Palos Verdes. RANCHO PALOS VERDES HAS NO OVERNIGHT RESTRICTION. I would much rather have those property values!!! Hillsider, you are rude and apparently not very well educated yourself thus you feel you have to make personal attacks. Keep to the subject and don't assume you know what a person is thinking!

[Hillsider]

Island Girl,

Please tell me where in my post I ever stated that you hated Pasadena???

I know it may be a struggle for you, but try READING my post before responding to it.

Oh, and please stop trying to name drop with JJ's Restaurant and the Norton Simon Museum. The closest you ever got to each of those places is when you were cruising down Colorado Boulevard, having a Princess Party out of the trunk of your car.

[McLite]

IslandGirl said:

FYI Hillsider I had a neighbor in Pasadena who parked every night across their driveway and was never cited. I do take exception to your comment that I hated pasadena. The restaurants, Especially JJ's are nice. Norton Simon is excellent as well as the Rose Parade but I did hate the parking restrictions and trash collection. For all of you that think that no overnight parking raises your property values why don't you look at the property values in Rancho Palos Verdes. RANCHO PALOS VERDES HAS NO OVERNIGHT RESTRICTION. I would much rather have those property values!!! Hillsider, you are rude and apparently not very well educated yourself thus you feel you have to make personal attacks. Keep to the subject and don't assume you know what a person is thinking!

Island Girl, first off, you seem to be lumping your messages together: Hillsider and I are two different people writing in two different posts. But that's beside the issue...

Rancho Palos Verdes is a BEACH community. All Beach communities have higher property values (MUCH higher), because they are *by the beach*. And most of them don't have parking restrictions at all, usually because the residential properties closer to the beach itself (think along the coast lines of Long Beach, Seal Beach, and Huntington Beach) are dense properties with little or no on-site parking to begin with.

You're comparing apples and oranges.... I was at least trying to stick to the San Gabriel Valley when making comparisons.

I'm sorry you ''take exception'' to my comment (that was indeed mine) that you seem to hate Pasadena. But don't act as if that it was unwarranted: you had done nothing but *complain* about Pasadena prior to my response.

As for the specific incident with your former neighbor in Pasadena parking across their lawn (well... you said ''driveway,'' but I'm assuming that's an error since - as far as I know - driveway parking is OK-?), that's just trashy of them... I feel you should have contacted Pasadena code enforcement. I know they would have handled it promptly. But as former Pasadena residents, you and I both know very well there is no ''epidemic'' of such problems in that city.

Sorry your experience there has left some bad taste in your mouth. But most people would agree (I think it's a given) that Azusa would do very well to become a little more like Pasadena.

[IslandGirl]

My point is that restricting overnight parking does not automatically increase property values! I will do addl research and let you know other communities that do not have this restriction but have high values. Not all of Rancho Palos Verdes is on the ocean. And for everyone's info property values for appraisals are of like property usually within Mountain Cove or a mile or so outside. Appraisers do not use the homes down Azusa Blvd when they appraise our's. They pull from Mountain Cove then they go into Glendora for compairable properties!

Hillsider: I don't name drop, I eat at JJ's on a regular basis (two nights ago for example) but apparently you think this is big time stuff. By listing some of the good things in Pasadena seems to really raise your blood pressure, what's the matter haven't you ever eaten at better than Carl's? Pointing out some good things in Pasadena seems to raise your blood pressure. There are good things in Pasadena but overnight parking restriction and trash collection are not among the good list. FYI I do not represent Princess House. You seem to have issues with that company. I think you should talk to your shrink, hopefully you have one.

For everyone. I don't turn in my neighbors, I find that low class.

[Just4Laughs]

Guest-Hillsider said:

Is there a more obnoxious and uneducated sounding poster than Island Girl???

Stick to your Princess Parties, Island Girl, and leave the posting for the rest of us. I am afraid that YOU are going to drive property values down just by opening your mouth.

Please explain why I am being attacked here? I did anounce that I was having a Princess House Party to hopefully meet other neighbors and have a fun time (by the way we did). So why exactly are you insulting me? And please explain why you don't have the nerve to register as anything other than "guest" are you afraid to show who you are? Are you even living in MtnCove?

I would like an apology if you don't mind. I have never did anything to offend you

[Real estate agent chiming in]

From Island Girl:

My point is that restricting overnight parking does not automatically increase property values!

I disagree with you, Island Girl. There is validity to the suggestion that cities with such parking restrictions have less crime, which translates into higher property values and better quality of life. The conventional wisdom behind that, at least from the view of law enforcment agencies, is that streets are easier to patrol and suspicious vehicles stick out like a sore thumb. It also keeps streets neater, less cluttered, and makes residences and businesses easier to see.


I will do addl research and let you know other communities that do not have this restriction but have high values.

Well, if you do that research, may I suggest you stay in our region?

The closest cities that, off the top of my head, I believe do NOT have any overnight parking restrictions are (excluding unincorporated county areas) Irwindale, Duarte, Pomona, West Covina, Baldwin Park... none of which are shining examples of high quality of life - let alone property values. Cities that DO have restrictions include Glendora, La Verne, San Dimas, Sierra Madre...


Not all of Rancho Palos Verdes is on the ocean.

As was mentioned, it is a beach city. You can't draw comparisons between Azusa and RPV... about as much as you could compare New York with Pacific Palisades.


And for everyone's info property values for appraisals are of like property usually within Mountain Cove or a mile or so outside. Appraisers do not use the homes down Azusa Blvd when they appraise our's. They pull from Mountain Cove then they go into Glendora for compairable properties!

That statement is a mix of truth and fiction. Appraisers do reach for the closest proximity comps of recent sales on homes that are most similar in structure size / configuration, then lot size. The preference is to stay in that immediate area unless there are no similar homes. It would be extremely unlikely they would comp an Azusa home in Glendora, unless it were directly adjacent....

However (and this is a big however), all of that rests upon the previous calendar month's overall median home price of the CITY your home is located in. That is the bottom line of it all. Your city having deficiencies in services and maintenance does have a very significant impact on the quality of life, and therefor property value, of your immediate neighborhood. You could live behind a gate (or a guard) and that may keep certain things out. But the City-wide effects of overall property value, community reputation, and most importantly quality of life are NOT things you can simply 'lock out.'

Get a guard for additional security. But if you truly want to have an effect on property values (and just making this is a better place to live in general), you - well, we -should probably in someway lobby for improvements in Azusa; address these issues with our city leaders.

Mountain Cove, as a neighborhood, should be a raise of the bar for other areas in Azusa, for the overall area to improve. What residents shouldn't do is isolate MC as if it were something different, something 'not' Azusa. We'd just be kidding ourselves, and problems in the city would continue to escalate until their effects would just be unmitigatable to MC as residents and (financially) as property owners.


For everyone. I don't turn in my neighbors, I find that low class.

Well, that's a bit of an oxymoron. I find a car parking in a lawn much lower in class than someone calling the city about it. I think that just ignoring something so blighty is doing a DISservice for everyone in a community.....

[29Mossdale]

Back to overnight parking, my copies of the CC&R, and a document titled "Rules and Regulations" (R&R), dated 12/02, does not list a restriction on overnight parking. CC&R's Article II 2.5, and R&R page 9, Parking and Traffic Regulations. Therefore, my conclusion is that overnight parking is allowed.

The R&R states "priority of parking is garage (to which it was constructed to accommodate), driveway (two cars) then the street."

Is this discussion thread to get a petition submitted to the association board, requesting a parking regulation change -- no overnight parking? If not, then it's just another rant and rave.

[Ediquette]

IslandGirl said:

Keep to the subject and don't assume you know what a person is thinking!

I wished that you took your same advice. As I recall on another thread...you were awfully mean in your comments. ...and you didn't know what that person was thinking either....

It hurts and creates bad feelings when others are mean back... now maybe you know how it feels.

[Dubh]

After reading all these comments, I'm starting to regret buying a house in a gated community. The CC&R's do not strictly prohibit overnight street parking. You are supposed to use garage first, driveway next, then street. Many of our neighbors use their garages for rec rooms, woodworking space, etc.,as do we. Who thinks they can tell someone they have too much stuff or too many cars? I can hardly believe adults wrote these things...
I can't fathom people wasting time worrying about this kind of stuff.
As for property values, who's going to want to move into a neighborhood filled with whiny, nosy, juvenile nitpickers? This was a nice place when we moved here 2 years ago. And it wasn't because of this anal attitude...

[IslandGirl]

To dubh: I agree....