On the question of rights, no one has a constitutional right to purchase, use and park a wheeled things anywhere they choose ? and a real property owner does not have an unfettered right to decide what is an offense to their "viewing pleasure."
However, there is also a question of safety at intersections.
Large wheeled objects parked near an intersection definitely endangers drivers and pedestrians unable to get a relatively unobstructed view of oncoming traffic ? and the oncoming traffic is likewise put in danger because they cannot see if a pedestrian and/or car is trying to emerge. I suggest this whole subject be tackled one piece at a time. Public safety comes first. Perhaps an ordinance can be crafted to ban the parking of dimension-defined Wheeled Things within a certain distance of intersections that are not controlled by signal lights or four-way stop signs.
No one should be allowed to reside in a wheeled thing on a city street for even one day.
At the same time, perhaps a sincere effort on the part of the city to find and develop locations for the storage of wheeled things for reasonable fees would be in order.
Once sufficient storage and/or parking at a reasonable fee is available to Burbank residents and there are still frequent complaints, only then should we enter the murky area of competing rights and privileges.
One last thing on the subject of intersections: Why is it that most drivers do not know that all intersections, with painted lines or no painted lines, is a pedestrian crosswalk and that pedestrians have the right-of-way?
ROD GUILMETTE
Burbank
Infrastructure costs higher than gas
In the Saturday edition of the Burbank Leader I read side-by-side stories, by the same writer, that describe the cost of repairs to the Police and Fire Department headquarters ("City looks to litigation to fund damage repairs" and "Council budgets millions for infrastructure improvements").
One story estimates the cost to be $6.5 million, the other story pegs it at $7 million.
Wow, and I thought gas prices were escalating at breakneck speed.
MIKE FREDIANI
Burbank
