A change to the Long Beach Municipal Code that would ban all oversized vehicles from parking on city streets could be on the horizon as the city council is scheduled to vote to initiate the crafting of an ordinance that would ban all vehicles over 22-feet long.

The council requested city staff to explore the option in October 2016 after council members Suzie Price and Daryl Supernaw presented the item and sought to provide changes that could improve safety and quality of life issues brought up in complaints from their constituents.

A central question surrounding the original intent of the item was whether or not it was aimed at criminalizing homelessness—many digital correspondences focused on homeless sleeping in recreational vehicles—but Price clarified that it was to limit “corridor blocking” vehiclesin October by Second District Councilwoman Jeannine Pearce sought to identify parking lots that could accommodate those living in their cars. Pearce’s item was approved just one week after the council initiated the oversized vehicle study but Pearce’s Safe Parking program has yet to return to the council.

The proposed changes would prohibit the parking of oversized vehicles on city streets and require them to be parked behind a fence unless a free 72-hour exemption permit was acquired from the city’s website to allow for loading and unloading. The ban would also apply to boats and trailers.

If adopted, it would also require the city post signs at all entry points into the city including freeway off-ramps. The estimated cost for the signs and informational material to be mailed out