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It is against the law to park along the side of parish roads.

Vermilion Parish Police Jury looking at 'cleaning up' parking along side of road ordinance

The Vermilion Parish Police Jury is looking into simplifying the law of parking along side parish roads outside of the city limits.
Around eight to 10 years ago, the police jury adopted a law that says no one can park along side a parish road with the exceptions of farmers, emergency personnel, church services, funerals or an emergency.
Back then, the police jury looked into the law because former police juror T.J. Prejean, who is in the Forked Island /Pecan Island area, was getting complaints of vehicles parked along the road while the owner of the vehicle either fished or crabbed.
The police jury is now looking into its ordinance again in hopes of trying to change it.
Police Jury attorney Paul Moresi III addressed the police jury at Monday night’s meeting about the issue.
“We are trying to clean up the law,” Moresi said. “Just because the police jury says the vehicle is allowed to park on the side of road, and it causes an accident, the police jury is not liable.”
While the ordinance was created to stop vehicles from parking along La. 82, it could also create a problem for the average citizen who is throwing a party at his or her house.
“What happens if someone is throwing a party and guests have to park along side of the road, can they get a ticket?” asked police juror Errol Domingues. “The ordinance make an exception for that?”
Moresi said the way the ordinance is written it does not. If someone parks along side of a parish road for “convenience” they can receive a ticket from the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office or State Police.
Moresi advised against putting a “convenience” clause in the ordinance.
He said there is no difference parking on the shoulder to visit your neighbor’s house than it is parking on the shoulder to go fishing.
Domingues said with the way the ordinance is written now, it is against the law to park in your front yard, along the road because of the police jury right-away.
“If someone has a party at their house and a neighbor wants to complain and sees the cars parked along the road, the neighbor can call law enforcement,” said Domingues.
Moresi told the police jury he will continue to look into “cleaning up” the ordinance that addresses residents parking along the road in neighborhoods, as well as, parish and state roads.

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