How many cars can Modesto residents legally park in a neighborhood — and for how long?
Arguably one of the most difficult things about owning a car is finding a place to park it — either downtown, at events, in the Costco parking lot or even in your own neighborhood.
If you have more than one car, it can get even more complicated, especially in residential areas, where there are limits on how long you can park on public streets.
Is there a limit on how many cars one Modesto resident can park in a neighborhood?
Modesto Bee reader Lynn Telford Sahl asked The Bee’s service journalist, who focuses on answering questions that help readers navigate everyday life, how to best deal with a neighbor who has multiple cars that are parked “all over the block.”
“At least 2 of the cars are never moved,” Sahl said.
We asked the Modesto Police Department if there’s a cap on the number of cars one household can park in a neighborhood, and if there is any enforcement to ensure cars aren’t parked in the same spot for too long.
Is there a limit on how many cars a Modesto resident can park?
The Modesto Police Department does not have control over how many vehicles one resident is allowed to have parked in a neighborhood, spokeswoman Sharon Bear said.
However, vehicles cannot be parked in the same spot for too long, Bear said. They technically must be moved every 72 hours.
Vehicles must also be parked legally with current registration and be operable, Bear said.
How are illegally parked cars enforced in Modesto?
Modesto police do enforce the warning, citation or removal of a car that is parked illegally or longer than the allowed time.
Officers document in writing, and with photographs, how long cars have been parked, Bear said. They use indicators including webs and debris that show whether a vehicle has been moved.
“We also mark tires, but sometimes the owners remove the marks,” she said.
If a vehicle is moved upon the owner being contacted by the department, further enforcement is typically not needed, Bear said. If the vehicle is parked illegally (in front of a driveway or a fire hydrant, etc.), officers can issue a citation.
A California Vehicle Code allows the department to tow a vehicle that is inoperable or that has registration that is expired beyond six months.
“We typically provide a warning and come back at a later time to see if the owner has moved the vehicle or updated their registration,” Bear said.
How to report unmoved or illegally parked vehicles in Modesto
Modesto residents can report an unmoved or illegally parked vehicle to the Police Department using an online reporting tool or the city’s GoModesto app under the section “code enforcement.”
Reports for illegally parked vehicles also can be made to the police nonemergency line at 209-552-2470. For abandoned or nonoperational vehicles, residents can call the department’s abandoned auto line at 209-572-9511.
This story was originally published October 9, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
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