Public Right-of-Way and Residential Yards
City of Corpus Christi
CORPUS CHRISTI (News Release) – The City Council took under consideration the first reading of two ordinances addressing the quality of life in neighborhoods and safety on City sidewalks and other rights of way.
The first reading approved prohibits individuals from sitting or lying in public rights-of-way within the Corpus Christi Central Business District, North Beach, and Flour Bluff. Rights-of-ways include street curbs and gutters, sidewalks, medians, and the grass parkways between sidewalks and streets. The Central Business District includes all of downtown, uptown, and the entire length of the seawall.
Sitting or lying in the public right of way impedes a pedestrian’s ability to travel safely. Blocking sidewalks and other similar areas creates a potential safety hazard as individuals sitting or lying in a right-of-way are less visible to vehicular traffic. In addition, those utilizing the facility for movement are forced to walk in the street.
The action moves forward a second quality of life ordinance that prohibits parking vehicles on unimproved surfaces within residential lots. An improved surface is defined as an area comprised of materials constructed to distribute the weight of a vehicle over the area. A surface of this type protects underground utilities from vehicle weight.
Over the last few years, the City has worked with the community to update its comprehensive plan and area development plans. One of the major reoccurring themes has been the desire to improve the quality of life in residential subdivisions through improved code requirements and design of the public right of way. Requiring vehicles to be parked on designated paved areas will improve neighborhood aesthetics and ensure that sidewalks are clear for pedestrian access.