A proposed ordinance that would allow taxis to park overnight in L.A. residential neighborhoods is getting the kind of support that cab companies would prefer to do without.

The ordinance, which is being considered by the City Council? Transportation Committee, may be expanded to apply to all types of commercial vehicles.

Currently taxis and other commercial vehicles can only park up to three hours in residential neighborhoods, making it difficult for cab drivers to park overnight near their homes.

However, taxi companies fear neighborhood councils and community opposition might pressure the City Council to toss out the proposal altogether because residents don? want trucks and other large commercial vehicles on their streets.

?t?l depend on what kind of vehicles they permit, but it could become a nuisance to some residents,?said Michael Calin, president of Bell Cab in Hawthorne. ?e just have sedans though and want to park overnight in our neighborhoods near where we live. But if the city allows all commercial vehicles like big trucks, then we may face a lot of opposition.?p>Tom Drischler, taxicab administrator for the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, said that the transportation committee has ordered the city attorney to help draft an ordinance that would expand the exemption to all commercial vehicles 22 feet or less in length, such as gardening company vans or food trucks.

Cab companies have lobbied to repeal the time restriction because they contend it is burdensome for drivers to keep waking up to move their vehicles in order to avoid tickets ?at $63 a pop ?or parking in commercial areas where cars are frequently vandalized or burglarized.

?t? been a problem for decades,?said Melese Adamu, president of United Independent Taxi Drivers Inc., based near downtown Los Angeles. ?his ordinance would be very good for our drivers, the majority of which live in apartments and only have off-street parking nearby.?p>The transportation committee is likely to consider the proposal again this summer, Drischler said.

Councilman Bill Rosendahl, who co-authored the original proposal to relax the restrictions on taxis, said he? waiting to see the staff report before he decides whether to support the inclusion of other commercial vehicles.

? have a pretty simple view of this: If you live in the neighborhood, you should be able to park your vehicle there on the street overnight,?Rosendahl said. ?e have to be careful (though) not to open the floodgates to a bunch of large commercial vehicles with loud advertisements. But I think taxi cabs aren? in that category.?p>

Middle Harbor Movement

The Port of Long Beach is one step closer to seeing the $750 million plan to revitalize its Middle Harbor become a reality.

After almost six hours of debate and public comments from 70 people, the Long Beach City Council voted unanimously earlier this month to approve the Middle Harbor Redevelopment Project. The massive undertaking would combine, expand and modernize the terminals occupied by California United Terminals and Long Beach Container Terminals.

The project was opposed by the cities of Riverside and Commerce, and two coalitions of environmental and community groups because it? expected to increase truck and rail traffic upon completion. Riverside is seeking compensation to build over- and underpasses at train crossings.

At the meeting, Riverside officials threatened to sue Long Beach over the project ?not exactly an empty threat since the Inland Empire city has a lawsuit pending against the Port of Los Angeles over potential traffic impacts of its planned China Shipping Co. terminal expansion.

If lawsuits don? hold it up, the 10-year expansion project could break ground by December. When completed, it? supposed to more than double cargo capacity, create 14,000 jobs regionwide and slash air pollution 50 percent by providing electric plug-in facilities for ships docked there.

Ticket to Ride

L.A. bicyclists can pedal without worry as the city is in the final stages of repealing a law requiring bike licenses.

Last year, Los Angeles Police Department officers started sporadically enforcing the little-known law near downtown. After cycling groups spoke out on the Internet and complained to city officials, LAPD Chief William Bratton recommended dropping enforcement.

The City Council? Transportation Committee went along with the recommendation in January and even took it a step further, asking City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo to take steps to repeal the ordinance altogether.

The council is expected to approve the repeal within the next few weeks, said Michelle Mowery, the senior bike coordinator for the Department of Transportation.

The licenses were $3 and the program dated back to 1976; but beachgoers beware, Santa Monica and Long Beach still have similar laws on their books.

Staff reporter Francisco Vara-Orta can be reached at [email protected] or at (323) 549-5225, ext. 241.