The borough assembly voted unanimously to set a public hearing on a proposed ordinance intended to explicitly prohibit the traffic hazard of drivers parking their vehicles in the road.

The assembly voted unanimously on July 28 to update the rules on roadway parking, setting a public hearing on the change in municipal code for the Aug. 25 assembly meeting.

Police Chief Gene Meek said the changes are designed to promote safety and ensure roadways remain accessible to motorists, emergency responders and maintenance crews. 

Under the proposed change, leaving a vehicle unattended on a road would be illegal if it blocks traffic, forces drivers to cross the centerline into oncoming traffic or reduces the usable road width enough to hinder travel.

Meek said the fine would be $50, but if the vehicle is towed the owner would have to pay for that as well.

He emphasized at the July 28 meeting that the measure targets genuine road hazards rather than casual neighborhood interactions. It has nothing to do with drivers briefly pulling over to chat with a pedestrian.

“If we made that a law, my officers and I would be the biggest offenders,” the chief said.

Mayor Patty Gilbert expressed relief after hearing that clarification.

“That’s just a part of being in Wrangell,” Gilbert said. “Everyone does it.”

Meek explained the proposal cleans up ambiguous language in code from decades past. He recalled a previous incident where an officer cited a driver for parking directly in the middle of a travel lane. A judge later dismissed the ticket because the existing code states a vehicle is not illegally obstructing traffic as long as 10 feet of space remains near the car.

“It’s just one of those things that the ordinance was written decades ago, and needs to be updated for today’s standards,” Meek said in a July 30 interview. “People just need to get in the habit of not obstructing traffic.”