Residents along North L Street say parked motorhomes outside the Windscape Apartments have left them worried about parking availability, trash, and safety, and now, city leaders are proposing an ordinance that could address those concerns.
The Lompoc City Council is set to introduce a new parking ordinance on Tuesday for the 1200 and 1300 blocks of North L Street. The proposal would ban parking for longer than two hours without a residential permit.
Lompoc Police Lieutenant Allen Chisholm said the goal is to free up parking for people who live in the area. He explained that the plan would also allow neighborhoods to petition the city to create or remove residential parking districts if 75% of residents agree.
Some neighbors expressed they hope the new limits will make it easier to find parking and improve their sense of safety.
“I felt uncomfortable, scared sometimes because there are too many,” said Maria Delgado, who lives across the street from where several motorhomes are parked.
Another resident, Janet Weighill, said she believes the changes could help restore peace of mind for those living nearby.
“I think it’d be great. It’d give us a lot of peace of mind and a relief, you know, that we can live out there,” she said.
While some residents expressed frustration with the buildup of trash around parked vehicles, others like Cece Martinez, said people living in their motorhomes are often unfairly blamed.
“My friends lived in one of them, they used to not anymore, they’re being associated with a lot of the trash that people pass by, and nine times out of ten, it’s not them doing it,” Martinez said.
She added that some motorhome residents try to help by cleaning up trash in the area.
“They’re actually picking it up, you know, and people don’t take the time to realize that,” Martinez said.
The ordinance will be discussed during Tuesday’s City Council meeting. If approved, it could pave the way for other neighborhoods in Lompoc to petition for similar residential parking districts.
