Ask the officer

Menlo Park police officer Glenn J. Raggio answers questions about the police. Call 858-3327 or email: asktheofficer@menlopark.org.

I was recently cited for having an unregistered car in my own driveway!

Enforcement has been stepped-up in this area. Vehicles left in driveways, especially ones not registered, are a particular target of our code-enforcement officers. The municipal codes reads as follows:

"8.20.020 Front and side yard storage. The following property may not be stored in the required front or side yard for a period or periods of time totaling more then five days:

"(1) Motor vehicles except for the following: (a) Automobiles; (b) Trucks not exceeding one and one-half tons unladen weight; (c) Trucks reasonably required for construction on the premises pursuant to a valid and existing building permit issued by the city, or for repair of maintenance work concurrently being performed on the premises.

"(2) Trailers, campers, boats, motorhomes, airplanes, or parts thereof; "(3) Any motor vehicle which is not currently registered and fully operational;

"(4) Any part of a motor vehicle. ...

"... Storage for more then five days, as used in this section, means the physical presence of the prescribed property within the front or side yard as such area is defined in the zoning ordinances for one hour or more on more then five days."