Ask the Mayor: Parked Cars are Impeding Trash Collection

File Image Courtesy County of Maui.

Mayor Alan Arakawa answers some of the most-asked questions submitted to his office staff.

Mayor Arakawa:

Q: I am having an ongoing problem with vehicles being parked in front of my residence, interfering with my refuse collection. These vehicles are parked as close as two feet from the edge of my driveway, which does not provide enough area on the road shoulder to place my refuse container.

Sometimes these vehicles are parked up against my refuse container after the container is already in place for collection. I cannot place my refuse container on my driveway, because it is a sloping driveway, and I do not have a sidewalk fronting my property.

There have been many instances when I simply could not put out my refuse container for pickup. If vehicles are parked in such a way as to interfere or prevent county access to my refuse container, what rights do I have to insure that I have ample space to place my refuse container out for pick up?

Thanks for your time, and I always enjoy reading “Ask The Mayor.”

A: Thank you for the compliment. Maui County Code provides restrictions on where vehicles can park near public or private driveways, which means you can call the non-emergency police number (244-6400) to report a violation.

Maui County Code 1048.030 – “Prohibited in certain places”, says, “No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the law or the direction of a police officer or traffic control device… within four feet of either side of a public or private driveway.”

Additionally, the code specifies that vehicles may not park “in front of an official United States Postal Service mailbox, where there is no sidewalk, from Monday through Saturday between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.”

Want to Ask the Mayor?

Submit your questions about County of Maui programs, services, operations or policies to Mayor Alan Arakawa via email, by phone at 270-7855 or by mail to 200 S. High St., 9th Floor, Wailuku, HI 96793. Questions submitted will be considered for inclusion in the Ask the Mayor column.