Parked Cars Could Land Homeowner In Jail

Parked Cars Could Land Homeowner In Jail

POSTED: 3:23 pm EDT March 13, 2007
UPDATED: 5:55 pm EDT March 13, 2007

ATLANTA -- A Roswell man is battling city hall over the number of cars he has at his home. A Roswell ordinance limits the number of vehicles that can be seen from the street to four, but Ahzar Zaidi often has more when his children visit from college.

Zaidi is a naturalized United States citizen from Pakistan. A Roswell city judge has found Zaidi guilty of violating a local ordinance that says you can’t have more than 4 cars that can be seen from the street.

“If the laws are not made properly, that means that the people who made these laws are not thinking properly,” said Zaidi.

One of the vehicles he has parked in his driveway is a limousine. Zaidi used to be in the limo business but no more, so he has the vehicle for sale.

SURVEY: Agree With Ordinance?


“I hope somebody comes and helps me fight this,” said Zaidi.

Zaidi can expect no help from his next door neighbor who bills himself as a prophet.

“He oughta get him a parking club, you know, a big place where he can have a parking lot. Park all these vehicles,” said Cape Jones.

On the other hand, another neighbor, former Forsyth County Assistant D.A. Jeffrey Frazier, is representing Zaidi without charge because, he said, “I have seen first hand the excesses of law enforcement and prosecutors and I want to do whatever I can to put a stop to that.”

There were only 4 vehicles on Zaidi’s property during our visit, but there are 6 when his 2 college children visit from UGA.

Zaidi says, “If a pizza delivery person comes to visit, I’m in violation.”

Zaidi’s attorney has filed for the case to be heard by the Fulton County Superior Court. If the city conviction stands, Zaidi could be facing up to 6 months in jail and a $1,000 fine. 

SOURCE: [url]http://www.wsbtv.com/news/11243243/detail.html[/url]

i looked up the actual law, as stated in the city of roswell zoning ordinance:
[url]http://www.roswellgov.com/files/docs/PDF/comdev/Zoning/Zoning%20Ordinace_Final/Article_17_Access_and_Parking.pdf[/url]

[quote]
Section 17.3.1 Off-Street Parking Required
Off-street automobile parking spaces shall be provided on every lot on which any building,
structure, or use is hereafter established in all zoning districts, except as otherwise specifically
exempted by this article. Required parking spaces shall be available for the parking of operable
passenger vehicles for residents, customers, patrons, and employees, as appropriate given the
subject use.

Section 17.3.2 Location of Off-Street Parking Areas
All parking spaces required by this Article shall be provided on the same lot with the main
building or use which it serves. Upon demonstration that the parking spaces required by this
Article are not available and cannot reasonably be provided on the same lot as the building,
structure or use it serves, the Zoning Director may permit the required parking spaces to be
provided on any lot a substantial portion of which is within eight hundred (800) feet of such
building, structure, or use. This provision shall require submittal of evidence of ownership or
valid agreement to lease the parking area off-site that is intended to be used to comply with this
article.
In single-family residential zoning districts, parking in the front yard is allowed for each dwelling
unit only within a hard-surfaced driveway (i.e., asphalt, concrete, gravel, or if approved by the
City Engineer, a turf-reinforced driveway). No parking shall be allowed in grass or lawn areas.
The parking or storage of more than four (4) vehicles at a single family residence in a manner
visible from the public street shall be unlawful.
[/quote]

according to the ordinance, he should just put one car in the street.

i used to live in roswell, ga....

idk how i feel on this one. the people across the street from me have 6 cars at there house everyday and it gets really old. cuz one of them parks his massive hemi dodge directly behind my driveway.

I own five vehicles and hopefully sixth on the way. I'm glad I have a backyard where I can park them all, and I live in the city.
When I had my brother, and his buddies visiting from Japan to ride to Sturgis, we had over 25 Harleys in my front yard, now that was a site to remember.