Mount Pleasant DC Forum

[Ona Dosunmu]

We have tenants moving in soon and they're using a moving company. The moving company believes it needs a permit of some sort to park the big truck (tractor-trailer) in front of our house on Irving St. to off-load the tenants' belongings. (Because it's such a big truck, the alley isn't an option.) What sort of permit is needed and how do they get it? If it's not rush hour, do they also need to post emergency no-parking signs so the truck won't block traffic? How do they get those and how do they get them enforced?

[Captain Ralph W. McLean,]

They don't need a permit, the rules for residential parking do not apply to commercial vehicles parked to conduct their trade or business (as long as they don't leave it parked and unattended for more than two hours). Emergency No Parking signs may be obtained by the tenants by stopping by the Fourth District. They simply have to inform the station clerk what the signs will be used for, when, and where....

[John Boggan]

I went through this a few months ago. I strongly suggest you get the "no parking" signs to make sure the space in front of the house is free. The moving van MUST be parked in the parking lane, as traffic cannot get around otherwise (there is a bus that runs up Irving Street, which cannot get around a stopped truck even if there is room for cars to get by).

The signs are supposed to go up 48 hours (I believe) before the actual move date. Make sure the "no parking" time starts at least a couple of hours before the van is supposed to arrive.

Unfortunately, many drivers don't respect those "No Parking" signs. I had a major nightmare moving into my house (also on Irving Street) because when we pulled up with the van we discovered that two cars were parked there--right in front of the signs! I would suggest either parking your own vehicles in the spot the night before to reserve the space, and then move them when the van arrives; or check the space several hours before the van is due to arrive, and put down orange cones or some other obstruction to keep the space clear. If cars are illegally parked, get them towed BEFORE the van arrives!

(BTW when we called the police to report the illegally parked cars, the officers who arrived were very nice, very polite (considering the stressed-out movers they had to deal with!), and ticketed the vehicles and put tow orders on them. But it was still a major headache best avoided!)