Changes to Columbus city ordinances will, hopefully, lead to a few more open parking spaces.

The Columbus City Council voted Tuesday night to give final approval to ordinance changes addressing abandoned, unlicensed and oversized vehicles and where they can be parked. Under the proposal, these vehicles cannot be parked on public property, including city streets or right of ways.

One ordinance change, addressing vehicles on private property, was struck at the urging of Councilman Frank Miller. He expressed concerns with the placing of a few sentences about private property restrictions being within an ordinance change that was largely focused on public parking and access.

Mary Ferdon, the city’s director of administration, as well as Fred Barnett, the city’s code enforcement officer, agreed with Miller’s assertion that changes to how vehicles can be kept on private property should be kept separate. An ordinance change dedicated to that, is expected in the coming weeks.

Ferdon and Barnett have said that the goal is to keep unlicensed and inoperable vehicles out of public view. That can be done by storing vehicles in a garage, carport or behind a privacy fence, out of view from the street.