Hortonville prohibiting through traffic in parking lots

New ordinance sets fines

By John Faucher

Motorists using parking lots as thoroughfares will be ticketed in Hortonville.

The Hortonville Village Board on April 18 passed an ordinance prohibiting through traffic in designated areas.

The ordinance establishes compliance measures for signs and markings within the village, which previously were not enforceable.

Brownson

On April 4, Hortonville Police Chief Kristine Brownson told board members that the police department was receiving complaints of people cutting through parking lots and using them as through streets.

Areas specified included Village Hall, the cemetery, Dairy Queen, Gilbert’s Sentry Foods and several private business parking lots.

Brownson said after school teens are using the Dairy Queen parking lot as a through street.

“They’re even going to the extremes that they are plugging up the drive thru,” Brownson said.

This limits or prevents customer access.

Many of the aforementioned parking lots have signage, Brownson said. However, the village has never had an ordinance to enforce the signs.

A state statute prohibits traffic from intentionally avoiding traffic signals and signs, but there is not a statute governing parking lot signs.

Trustee Peter Olk asked if the police department could enforce or write tickets if the signs are located on private property.

Village Attorney Robert Sorenson said the police could enforce the signs by ordinance.

Brownson provided a sample ordinance from Seymour at a previous meeting. The ordinance defined parking lots, reckless driving in parking lots, fees, charges, signs and markings.

Having an ordinance also establishes penalties for control.

Hortonville’s newly created ordinance establishes a fine of $50 to $300 per offense.

Brownson said she will work with the Hortonville Public Works Department and property owners to ensure proper signage and placement.

She also said she would ask school officials to inform students of the ordinance and its enforcement.