St. Petersburg is nearing the end of public discussions regarding draft amendments to its improvement regulations, focusing on implementing special yellow markings in courtyards and defining restricted areas for vehicles. The proposed changes aim to clarify existing rules and address inconsistencies between traffic laws and local improvement standards.

The State Administrative and Technical Inspectorate (GATI) has highlighted the need for these amendments to address issues arising from vehicles obstructing access to garbage disposal areas, pedestrian paths, and building entrances within residential areas. GATI currently enforces regulations prohibiting parking on lawns, playgrounds, and sports grounds and in areas that block access.

The explanatory note to the project states, the amendments aim to resolve a discrepancy where traffic police often do not address complaints about vehicles obstructing intra-quarter territories, citing a conflict with the existing Rules of Improvement which prohibit “blocking intra-quarter passages.” This discrepancy arises from differing definitions of “road” and “sidewalk” in traffic rules versus “intra-quarter driveway” and “pedestrian path” in the Rules of Improvement.

The proposed amendments specifically define areas where vehicle placement is prohibited: lawns, pedestrian paths, approaches to buildings, access to solid waste collection areas, operational markings, and children’s/sports grounds.

Clear definitions are introduced for key terms: “access to the place (area) of accumulation of solid waste” and “approach to the building” to remove any ambiguity.

The definition of “lawn” is also clarified to include areas with herbaceous plants of both artificial and natural origin, even those that have “partially lost their external characteristics,” including seasonal changes in appearance. This clarification aims to prevent vehicle owners from arguing that barren patches of land are not considered lawns.

While the prohibition of blocking intra-quarter passages has been removed as a separate item, the regulations introduce prohibited zones through special operational markings. The use of these markings will be extended to sites related to common property, enabling GATI to issue fines in these areas as well.