The in basket: Karen Ross of North Kitsap said “We are having a
wedding (at a home on) Beach Drive in Poulsbo on August 6 in the
front yard, which is beach-front property.
“There will be a very large crowd, possibly 180 people, which could
mean at least 120 cars.
“I am unable to find out what the law is regarding roadside
parking. The roads in our area have very wide
shoulders. Our neighborhood is rural.
“I plan to go door to door to let neighbors know that cars will be
alongside the roads during the wedding,” Karen said.
“Do you know what the law is regarding roadside parking in our
area? I would like to know what the law is first before I contact
neighbors and I also think it would be good for me to let the
county police know.”
The out basket: I would have known the answer had her road had
white edge striping. It’s illegal to park on the shoulder with
one’s tires on or across that white stripe.
But Beach Drive doesn’t have edge striping, so I had to go to Deputy Scott Wilson of Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office.
“This should not be an issue for the Ross family and their wedding guests,” he said.
“Vehicles parked on roads without painted edge (‘fog’) lines follow the same rules as roads with painted edges. Cars parked in this neighborhood should be positioned on the roadway shoulder, facing the direction of travel. Parked vehicles should not block the traveled portion of the roadway, not block driveways and must remain at least 15 feet from a fire hydrant.
“This is a safety aspect primarily,” Scott said. “if there’s a requirement for sheriff’s patrol, medic or fire engine units to enter the neighborhood for emergency response, they need to be able to do so without having parked vehicles block or hinder their ingress/egress.”
