New parking bureau intended to help curb parking violations in Miami Twp.

Miami Twp, Ohio — Residents in Miami Township need to start paying better attention to where they park.

Police said they want to crack down on illegal parking throughout the township, which they say has been an on-going, unresolved issue. A new force has been created to try and resolve it.

“This is just my opinion, I think we need to have one side of the street parking,” said Miami Twp. resident Carlene Horstman. “And, then that way, we don’t have to maneuver in between cars.”

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Horstman is talking about one of the many complaints that Miami Township Police say they get.

“They may not want this junk motor vehicle parked in front of their house for so long and we can’t blame them. Nobody would,” said Patrolman William Olinger.

The township is creating a new parking bureau to reduce parking violations.

The purpose of this new parking bureau is to help keep Miami Township residents safe, cleanup the neighborhood streets and keep illegal parking at bay.

One area of concern is off Lamme Road, where police say parking problems are popular. The bureau is expected to begin issuing citations for things like abandoned cars, vehicles parked within 10 feet of fire hydrants or vans, trucks, trailers, or semi-trailers parked on township streets.

“Our parking citations are something that again, gives us another tool to better field these complaints our citizens give us,” Olinger said.

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Unlike cities, townships cannot make their own parking laws, but they can follow what the state says. The citations will help enforce state code.

“It’s not anything that’s meant to majorly inconvenience anybody, it does come with a potential penalty depending on the violation of vehicle impoundment as well,” Olinger said.

The highest citation fine is $20, which they hope is high enough to cause people to follow the law.

“You know, this is a nice neighborhood and people on the most part try and keep their yards and homes up,” Horstman said.

The parking bureau is expected to open on April 9.

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