Glen Carbon Approves parking regulations

By Kathy Turner

The Glen Carbon Village Board on Tuesday, Jan. 10 approved two ordinances that will regulate parking on village right-of-ways. 

The first pertains to parking of utility trailers and commercial vehicles. Under the ordinance, no commercial vehicle hauling explosives, gasoline, liquefied petroleum products or other ‘hazardous materials’ is permitted to be parked in a residential area except for short periods of time, considered less than one hour.  

The ordinance also prohibits parking of utility trailers of any size or type on village right-of-ways nor shall any commercial vehicles be parked on any residentially used lot, in the street abutting such lot, or on residentially zoned land. Exceptions include commercial vehicles under ¾ ton or commercial vehicles temporarily parked for providing construction, transportation or other services for the location.

The second ordinance pertains to recreational vehicles, i.e. travel trailers, campers, and R.V.’s. The ordinance outlines that not more than one recreational vehicle shall be parked on any lot; no recreational vehicle shall be used as a dwelling; and, no recreational vehicle shall be used as an office or for any other commercial purpose.

In addition, any owner of recreational vehicles may park or store such equipment in any residential zoning district under the following regulations:  the vehicles shall not be connected to electricity, water, gas or sanitary sewer facilities except when water is required for battery charging or other maintenance, and at no time can the equipment be used for living or housekeeping purposes. 

If the recreational vehicles are parked or stored outside of a garage, it shall not be parked or stored in a front yard or driveway of any single-family lot or any lot in RS-10 Zoning districts. The required off-street parking space for a residential unit must be paved with concrete, asphalt, or brick.  

Lastly, recreational vehicles may be parked anywhere on the premises for loading or unloading for no more than 48 hours. Also, recreational vehicles may not be parked or stored on public right-of-ways. All recreational vehicles must be kept in good repair and carry current license and registration.  

Another ordinance approved by the village will require that all short-term rentals in the village collect and pay the village’s hotel/motel tax levy already in place for hotels, motels and inns.  The ordinance goes into effect immediately.

Approval was given to Scott Slemer, Director of Public Works, to apply for a Madison County Resources Management Program Environmental Grant in the amount of $15,000. The grant requires a $4,500 match from the village and will be used to contract Energy Resources Group to provide an energy master plan assessment for the village. 

Tim Michaels from Energy Resources Group was in attendance and told the board that the plan provided will look at all energy usage and provisions and make recommendations relative to energy supplies for the future, including wind and solar options.  

Slemer was also authorized to apply for the 2023 Madison County Parks and Recreation PEP grant. Application will be for $62,447 and, if approved, will be used to make improvements to both Miner Park and Schon Park. 

The Board agreed to enter into a joint funding agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Village for improvements to the Illinois Route 159 and Cottonwood Road intersection. The agreement calls for the addition of right turn lanes at the intersection to ease traffic backups on both roads. Total cost of the project is $810,000.  

The project was first discussed in 2019 at a cost of $412,192. At that time the village received funding from sources that will be applied to the project.  It is expected that the project will begin in late Spring or early Summer.

The Board will next meet on Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. at Village Hall.