A Clear Step Toward Safer Streets: Why I Support Ordinance 53-2025
At the May 27, 2025 Twinsburg City Council meeting, a significant update to our city’s parking regulations was introduced—and it’s one I fully support. Ordinance 53-2025 proposes practical, safety-driven changes to our parking code, specifically targeting residential areas. After listening to the discussion and reflecting on the impact this will have on our neighborhoods, I believe these changes are timely, necessary, and beneficial for residents.
Council members had a productive conversation surrounding the ordinance, acknowledging that while most residents are already respectful of current parking practices, enforcement clarity is needed. The ordinance is not meant to be punitive, but rather preventive—ensuring emergency vehicles have access, keeping hydrants visible and accessible, and helping our snowplows do their job efficiently in the winter months.
These updates aren't arbitrary. They are grounded in common sense and rooted in a desire to make our neighborhoods safer and more functional. For example:
Banning overnight on-street parking in residential areas helps prevent congestion and keeps roads clear for emergency and city services.
Prohibiting parking on the fire hydrant side of the street ensures firefighters can quickly access water in an emergency—a few seconds saved can mean lives saved.
Restricting on-street parking during snow emergencies allows plows to clear streets more thoroughly and safely, benefitting all drivers.
I appreciate that Council was thoughtful in their approach, considering both the practical implications and the community’s voice. This is the kind of governance that balances enforcement with education and leads with the well-being of residents in mind.
For those who want to review the ordinance in full, here is the language as introduced:
Ordinance 53-2025 – An ordinance amending Chapter 351, Parking Generally, of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Twinsburg to amend the City’s parking code to ban:
(1) overnight on-street parking in residential districts;
(2) parking on the fire hydrant side of residential streets; and
(3) on-street parking during snow emergencies.