Two truckers from Palm Beach County, Florida, have filed a lawsuit against the county, challenging a recent ordinance prohibiting them from parking their trucks at their homes.
The Florida truckers see This new regulation as an unfair and targeted campaign to push out blue-collar residents in favor of wealthy newcomers.
Truck Parking in The Acreage
For nearly two decades, truck drivers Jorge Alfaro and Clare Dougal have parked their commercial trucks at their homes in The Acreage, a rural section of Palm Beach County.
This practice was permissible due to specific exemptions in the county’s Unified Land Development Code, which excluded agricultural residential zones from parking ordinances that applied to residential districts.
The Turning Point
In recent years, changes to the Unified Land Development Code have stripped The Acreage of its exemptions.
Starting in 2019, the county amended the code, removing the exclusion that allowed truck parking in agricultural residential zones. This change led to a surge in enforcement actions against truckers like Alfaro and Dougal, who began receiving fines for illegal parking.
The Lawsuit
The lawsuit, filed in the 15th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, alleges that the new truck parking ban violates their rights as property owners.
Jorge and Clare argue that the ordinance changes are part of a “targeted campaign of rural gentrification” aimed at displacing blue-collar residents to attract white-collar residents.
They claim that the ordinance constitutes a “regulatory taking” of their property.
By prohibiting them from parking their trucks at their homes, the county has effectively taken away the primary use of their property without providing compensation. This, they argue, is a violation of their rights.
The lawsuit also highlights the broader impact of the parking ban.
Truckers in The Acreage face a severe shortage of available truck parking spaces. There are only two dedicated lots in the area, and these lots are often full, forcing truckers to wait for hours or pay high fees for dedicated spots.
As a result, Alfaro and Dougal claim that the new regulations have devalued their property and jeopardized their livelihoods.
County’s Position and Reactions
In February 2024, the Palm Beach County Board of Commissioners clarified truck parking rules, denying a request to allow two 80,000-pound trucks per lot in The Acreage.
Instead, the county amended the code to permit two 16,000-pound vehicles at any home-based business in the area, a rule set to take effect on July 1.
As the lawsuit progresses, it underscores a growing tension between rural and suburban development in Palm Beach County. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for property rights and residential zoning laws in the region and beyond.
Final Thoughts
The lawsuit filed by Jorge Alfaro and Clare Dougal against Palm Beach County highlights the challenges faced by truckers in rural communities amid changing zoning laws.
As they seek justice and the right to park their trucks at their homes, this case brings to light the broader issues of regulatory overreach and the impact of gentrification on long-standing residents.
This case also highlights the nationwide truck parking problem and the federal and state government’s inability to resolve it.
Fortunately, private solutions like our very own Truck Parking Club help truckers find available parking spots across the US, whether in Florida or any other state.
However, until government officials start doing more to resolve the truck parking crisis, more truckers will likely follow Jorge and Clare’s example and try to fight for their right to park their trucks close to their homes.
Link to the original article: https://landline.media/truckers-sue-the-acreage/
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