PARLIER – Updated carport and towing regulations will go into effect in Parlier this August thanks to the council’s final approval of two new ordinances.
After many months of consideration, the city of Parlier has developed updated guidelines for carports on residential properties and put in place a policy that gives preference to tow companies within city limits. Both ordinances were first heard and approved on June 18 and were unanimously adopted by the Parlier City Council after second readings on July 2. They will go into effect 30 days after the adoption.
Regarding carports, the new guidelines addressed an issue that was first raised at council meetings last year. Increased code enforcement efforts led to residents discovering that carports they had built and spent thousands of dollars on were not permitted in the city, despite being told by former city staff that they were allowed.
“Right now the permanent carports that are built are not allowed at all; none of them are allowed,” City Planner Jeff O’Neal said. “The intent of this ordinance is to accommodate what the council generally feels should be accommodated, but we have to do it by adopting this ordinance. So, right now, none of them are legal. After this, most of them will be.”
In 2025, multiple residents came forward during public comment to talk about their carports. They were receiving code enforcement notices saying that their carports were not permitted and they had to take them down.
However, residents said that when they first built their carports, they spoke with city staff members at the time to ask about what kind of building permits they might need. Staff had told them that permits weren’t necessary and the carports were acceptable. Had that not been the case, residents said they wouldn’t have built the carports.
At the June 18 council meeting, O’Neal explained that the ordinance removes a requirement for a front-yard setback for carports — meaning the minimum distance a structure has to be from the property line. This authorizes carports built in front of people’s garages and homes.
The ordinance also authorizes side-yard carports, which O’Neal said there are a lot of in town, even though they are technically not allowed. With the new ordinance, they will be acceptable so long as the carport is even with or behind the front of the house.
“So you can’t have a side-yard carport that’s out in front of the house, but you could have it if it’s even with the front of the house or farther back,” O’Neal said.
The ordinance also requires that if the carport is perpendicular to or has direct access to the public right-of-way, meaning the street or sidewalk, the front and sides of the carport — everything except the back wall — must be open. This ensures visibility for anyone backing their vehicle out of the carport and keeps it safer for individuals who may be out in the street or on the sidewalk.
Makeshift carports fashioned with pop-up tents or canopies meant for temporary uses will still not be allowed and will be considered a nuisance under the new ordinance.
Those with existing carports will still need to obtain a building permit and work with city staff to provide information about the plans used to construct their carports in order for their properties to be fully up to code. However, they will no longer be required to completely demolish their carport as long as it fits within the guidelines in the ordinance.
With carport-related code enforcement stalled while the ordinance was being drafted, once it takes effect, Parlier will be able to keep cleaning up public nuisances and safety issues while preserving work residents put into their homes.
Towing contractors
The council also wrapped up another months-long discussion related to the city’s tow rotation policy, which is specific to the police department.
Interim Police Chief Michael Salvador has explained to the council on multiple occasions that the tow rotation policy is utilized by the police department when it needs to move and impound a vehicle. The rotation allows the department to fairly cycle through which tow company on the list gets the first chance to respond to a towing need.
Salvador had initially asked the council to establish a policy to improve efficiency within the department. Council members had then asked if the policy could be limited to Parlier-based businesses. At a meeting in April, Salvador discussed the possibilities and constraints with the council and brought something forward for them in June.
At the June 18 meeting, Salvador said the ordinance would limit tow companies on the rotation list to ones located within Parlier. However, the ordinance does allow the police department to work with companies off the list on an as-needed basis so as to not impede on department operations.
The ordinance requires tow operators on the rotation list to have a storage lot within the city that has the capacity for at least 10 vehicles. Based on council discussion, Salvador said they would also add in a requirement that the tow operator has an office staffed during standard business hours that is located in Parlier.
Council members said they wanted to do this to ensure that Parlier residents whose vehicles have been towed can easily access and retrieve their cars.
Although arguments about fairness to businesses broke out between council members and the public at the June 18 meeting, there were no additional council, staff or resident comments on the ordinance at the July 2 meeting.
