Parma's Parking Rules: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles parking rules a little differently. In Parma, Ohio, there are 9 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Abandoned Vehicles

Parma defines abandoned vehicles as those inoperable, unlicensed, or parked over 72 hours on street. Police tag vehicles with 72-hour warning, then tow. ORC 4513.60-4513.65 governs statewide abandoned vehicle procedures.

Key details: Threshold: 72 hours inoperable/unlicensed. State Law: ORC 4513.60-4513.65. Warning: 72-hour tag. Reclaim: 10 days with fees.

Owner pays towing ($150+), storage ($25/day), and administrative fees. Private property junk vehicles: $100 to $500 fines per day.

Compared to other cities, Parma takes a harder line on abandoned vehicles. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Commercial & Oversized Vehicles

Parma bans parking of trucks over 2,000 pounds, buses, commercial tractors and similar heavy vehicles on any residential street between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise, and heavily restricts which commercial vehicles may sit overnight on residential property.

Key details: Residential street ban: 1 hr after sunset to 1 hr before sunrise. Overnight vehicle weight cap: 8,500 lbs gross / one per dwelling. Height cap: 82 inches overall. Always-banned overnight types: tow, dump, box, tractor-trailer trucks. Residential penalty: 1st-degree misdemeanor, per-day.

Violating the residential overnight restriction in division (d) is a first-degree misdemeanor under Section 351.13(d)(3), with each day of continued violation charged as a separate offense. Violating the commercial/office district overnight restriction in division (e) is a fourth-degree misdemeanor carrying a mandatory $100 fine on a first offense, $250 on a second, and escalates to a third-degree misdemeanor with a mandatory $500 fine on a third or later offense under Section 351.13(f).

This is one of the stricter rules in Parma's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Snow Removal Parking Rules

A two-inch snowfall on Parma's named emergency streets, including Ridge, State, Broadview and York Roads, triggers a snow emergency during which the Director of Public Safety can ban parking citywide, and violating vehicles may be impounded at the owner's cost.

Key details: Trigger depth: 2 inches of snow in 24 hours. Notice lead time: at least 1 hour before ban starts. Passenger loading exception: 3 minutes. Property loading exception: 30 minutes. Enforcement: impound under Sections 303.08-303.14.

Section 351.16 does not state its own penalty amount, so a violation defaults under Section 351.99 and Section 303.99 to a minor misdemeanor for a first offense, rising to a fourth-degree misdemeanor and then a third-degree misdemeanor for repeat predicate traffic offenses within a year, in addition to the towing and storage costs the vehicle owner must pay to recover an impounded car.

Compared to other cities, Parma takes a harder line on snow removal parking rules. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Loading Zones

Parma reserves marked truck zones for commercial vehicle loading during posted hours, and limits any single loading or unloading stop in one of these zones to thirty minutes.

Key details: Loading time cap: 30 minutes maximum. Who may use zone: commercial cars only, during posted hours. Zone marking: designated portion of roadway, signed. Default penalty: minor misdemeanor, Section 303.99.

A violation of the truck zone rules carries no separately stated penalty in Section 351.09, so it defaults under Section 351.99 to the general Traffic Code penalty in Section 303.99: a minor misdemeanor for a first offense, rising to a fourth-degree misdemeanor for a second predicate traffic offense within a year and a third-degree misdemeanor for a third or subsequent one.

RV & Boat Parking

Parma lets homeowners keep one piece of recreational equipment under 24 feet, such as a travel trailer, pickup camper or boat, on their own driveway or turnabout, but bars any hookups to utilities and requires a 3-foot side or rear setback when stored outside a garage.

Key details: Length cap: 24 feet overall. Side/rear setback: 3 feet minimum. Loading exception: 48 hours anywhere on premises. Utility hookups: prohibited while stored. Variance authority: Board of Housing Appeals.

No penalty is stated within Section 351.14 itself, so a violation falls to the general Traffic Code default in Section 303.99: a minor misdemeanor for a first offense, escalating to a fourth-degree misdemeanor for a second predicate offense within a year and a third-degree misdemeanor for a third or later one.

Overnight Parking

From November 15 through April 15 each year, Parma bars parking on any street between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. for longer than three minutes, aside from a narrow loading/unloading exception, with emergency and physician vehicles exempted.

Key details: Season: November 15 through April 15. Restricted hours: 2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.. Loading exception: 3 minutes maximum. Exempt vehicles: emergency and physician vehicles. Default penalty: minor misdemeanor, Section 303.99.

Section 351.18 states no separate penalty, so enforcement falls to the general Traffic Code default in Section 303.99: a minor misdemeanor for a first offense, a fourth-degree misdemeanor for a second predicate traffic offense within a year, and a third-degree misdemeanor for a third or subsequent one within that period.

Driveway Rules

Parma bars parking any licensed vehicle, trailer or boat in the space between the front setback line and the street right-of-way unless the area is an approved driveway or turn-about, and any vehicle parked on private property must sit on a hard-surface driveway, turn-about or parking area rather than grass or dirt.

Key details: Surface required for parking: Hard-surface driveway, turn-about, or parking area. Front-yard parking outside driveway: Prohibited between setback and right-of-way. Inoperable/junk vehicle storage: Must be in a garage, not visible from street. Abandonment threshold on private property: 72 hours without permission. Private tow cap: $90 towing / $12 per 24-hr storage.

Parking on an unpaved area between the setback line and the right-of-way, or storing a licensed vehicle on grass or dirt anywhere on the property instead of a hard surface, is charged as a violation of Section 351.12; the City's traffic code makes minor misdemeanor the default classification absent a stated separate penalty. Vehicles parked in violation of a posted private tow-away zone under Section 351.125 may be towed at the owner's expense, subject to the statutory towing and storage fee caps.

Curb Color Rules

Painting street addresses on Parma's curbs for pay, profit or voluntary donations requires a permit from the Director of Public Service. Applicants pay a $25 fee, post a $500 cash bond, and must apply at least three business days before painting starts.

Key details: Permit fee: $25 payable on issuance. Cash bond: $500 required. Application lead time: 3 business days minimum. Permit issued within: 3 business days. Permit expires: December 31 each year.

Painting curbs for pay without the Section 905.06 permit, or breaking a bond condition such as damaging property or painting over a resident's objection, is a violation of Chapter 905 punishable by up to a $500 fine and up to sixty days in jail as a misdemeanor of the third degree under Section 905.99, with each day of continued violation a separate offense. The Director can also revoke the permit outright and apply the $500 cash bond to cover any repair costs.

This is one of the stricter rules in Parma's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Street Parking Limits

Parma bars parking in more than twenty specific street locations, including in front of or within three feet of a driveway, on a crosswalk, or within ten feet of a fire hydrant. Vehicles must also park facing the direction of travel, never against traffic.

Key details: Driveway buffer: 3 feet from any private driveway. Hydrant buffer: 10 feet from any fire hydrant. Crosswalk buffer: 20 feet at intersections. Curb distance: within 12 inches of curb. Wrong-way parking: must face direction of travel.

A first violation of the standing/parking placement rules or the wrong-way parking rule is a minor misdemeanor under Section 303.99(b)(1), carrying a fine but no jail time. A second predicate motor vehicle offense within a year elevates the charge to a fourth-degree misdemeanor, and a third or subsequent predicate offense within a year is a third-degree misdemeanor. Vehicles blocking hydrants, crosswalks or driveways are also subject to towing at the owner's expense.

The Bottom Line

Parma is tougher than many cities when it comes to parking rules. Out of the 9 rules covered here, 4 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Parma, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

These rules come from Parma's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.