Adjourned City Council Meeting Minutes – May 5, 2025 Page 1 of 2
MINUTES OF THE ADJOURNED MEETING OF THE MONTCLAIR
CITY COUNCIL HELD ON MONDAY, MAY 5, 2025, AT 5:46 P.M. IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 5111 BENITO STREET,
MONTCLAIR, CALIFORNIA
I. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Dutrey called the meeting to order at 5:46 p.m.
II. ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Dutrey; Mayor Pro Tem Martinez; Council Members Ruh, Lopez, and Mendez
City Manager/Executive Director Starr; Assistant City Manager/ Director of Human Services Richter; Director of Finance Kulbeck; Director of Public Works/City Engineer Heredia; Police Chief Reed; Acting Fire Chief Dierck; Director of Information Technology Nguyen; City Attorney Robbins; City Clerk Myrick III. COUNCIL WORKSHOP
A. Proposed Ordinance Regulating Parking of Oversized Vehicles on Public Streets
Attorney James Eckart, Special Counsel for the City, presented a proposed Ordinance regulating oversized vehicle parking on public streets. He outlined the safety hazards of long-term parking, new state laws on parking distances from crosswalks and intersections, restricted times and locations in residential areas, impact on specific vehicle types, a new permit system for short and long-term parking, exemptions, and enforcement. The draft adds to the Municipal Code without removing existing regulations, aligning local rules with state laws. Residential scenarios involving homeowners operating business vehicles were also discussed.
Council Member Ruh opposed banning small business owners and employees from parking large work vehicles at home and raised concerns about the permitting system and impact on recreational vehicle owners visiting family.
Council Member Lopez opposed increased enforcement on homebased businesses, citing added police workload, and noted concerns about expanding the state–mandated parking restriction near intersections within Montclair from twenty feet to fifty feet.
City Manager Starr emphasized that businesses should store vehicles in private lots, not on residential streets. He noted enforcement will mostly rely on resident reports and be prioritized lower than emergency issues. He advised the parking distance from intersections and crosswalks is for the safety of pedestrians and drivers and will be applied only at certain intersections.
Council Member Mendez asked about conditions for towing oversized vehicles, noting that a standard Sprinter van used by Amazon drivers exceeds proposed exemption sizes.
City Manager Starr clarified that work vehicles typically won’t be impounded unless there are repeated violations, as current laws prevent vehicles from being impounded without notice and cause.
Mayor Pro Tem Martinez requested staff consider how the ordinance might impact homeless individuals living in vehicles, noting some cities provide safe parking lots with security and lighting if long–term and overnight street parking is banned.
Mayor Dutrey highlighted neighborhood complaints about
oversized vehicles causing safety concerns and suggested bringing the proposed Ordinance back for further discussion at a future meeting.
Adjourned City Council Meeting Minutes – May 5, 2025 Page 2 of 2 IV. PUBLIC COMMENT — None
V. ADJOURNMENT
At 6:51 p.m., the City Council was adjourned.
Submitted for City Council approval,
Andrea Myrick
City Clerk