Trucks such as this one will soon be illegal on Roanoke city streets if the Roanoke City Council passes the ordinance that was introduced at Monday’s meeting.
The Roanoke City Council Monday took its first official step towards enacting a city ordinance prohibiting squatted trucks on city streets.
The ordinance that was read at Monday’s meeting and is expected to be voted on at the meeting scheduled for May 4 defines a squatted vehicle as one on which “the height of the front fender is raised more than four inches greater than the height of the accompanying rear fender.”
Violators of the ordinance would be subject to a citation, with a maximum of fine of $200.
Mayor Adam Melton said that the wording for the ordinance came directly from a state bill that passed in the Alabama House of Representatives this past legislative session. That bill died in the state Senate and failed to become enacted as state law.
But Melton and police chief Tino Brooks, who seem to have the full support of the city council, chose not to wait for a state law, citing the dangers that vehicles with elevated front ends pose. Sight lines on those types of modified vehicles are deemed to be much more dangerous, especially if small animals or children are nearby.
A full copy of the ordinance will be posted soon at RoanokeAlabama.org.
