Lyndon Area Business Association

Can somebody give me exact number/name of the ordinance that prohibits parking on the grass?

Metro Ordinance

§ 156.052 EXTERIOR PROPERTY AREAS.

H. Motor vehicles. Except as provided for in other regulations, no inoperative or unlicensed motor vehicle shall be parked, kept or stored on any premises, and no vehicle shall at any time be in a state of major disassembly, disrepair, or in the process of being stripped or dismantled. Painting of vehicles is prohibited on residentially zoned or used property. A vehicle of any type is permitted to undergo major overhaul, including body work, provided that such work is performed inside a structure or similarly enclosed area designed and approved for such purposes. All motor vehicles on any premises, other than agricultural land must be parked on a hard and durable surface, such as asphalt, brick or concrete or any surface permitted pursuant to§156.052 (C). In addition, motor vehicles may only be parked on those portions of the premises, which the Land Development Code allows as permissible parking areas. For purposes of this section, motor vehicles and agricultural land are as defined in the Land Development Code

1. Additional remedy. In addition to the penalties provided in §156.999, the Code Official may issue written notice and order to the registered owner of the motor vehicle parked or stored in violation of this section or to the owner or person in possession of private property upon which the motor vehicle is illegally parked or stored, requiring that the motor vehicle be removed from the county, stored inside a fully-enclosed structure or similarly-enclosed area designed and approved for such purposes, or that the violation be otherwise removed and abated within seven days. This notice may be served on the appropriate party either personally, by first-class certified or registered mail or by affixing said notice to the motor vehicle parked or stored in violation of this section.
2. Removal by Metro Government. In the event that any person fails to comply with an order issued pursuant to this section, the Code Official may have the vehicle parked or stored in violation of this section, removed and disposed of and may impose on the person violating the order a reasonable charge to cover the direct and indirect costs, if any, for the removal and disposition of the motor vehicle or major parts thereof.

The boat trailer itself had no motor.  The ordinance specifies motor vehicle.  Hence, no motor, no violation.

There are actually laws that retrict parking motor vehicles on grass for good reason.  Motor vehicles can leak engine oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, and anti-freeze onto the surface below the vehicle.  Those fluids are then absorbed into the soil and eventually make their way into the groundwater.  Most of that type of legislation was passed back about the time certain pesticides and herbicides were also restricted or outlawed entirely (i. e; DDT) as people become more conscious of polluting and contaminating our environment.

From time to time, I do see cars and trucks parked on the grass and that is illegal even for a short time.  But, in the strict interpretation of the statutes of this type, the restrictions apply only to vehicles that were manufactured as motor vehicles regardless of whether they currently do or do not have all of the original equipment.  Common sense, strict application of the statutes, and case law would appear to NOT restrict parking trailers on the grass.