HOUSTON -- A plan to prohibit large vehicles from parking overnight on Houston’s residential streets has been delayed for at least a week at the City Council table. However, even as elected officials debate the issue, it is growing stronger.

Council Member Toni Lawrence, who is writing the ordinance, says she plans to expand the proposal from an overnight ban to a 24-hour ban on vehicles larger than 22 feet long parking on residential streets.

The only exceptions would be for vehicles that are actively engaged in a project at that address, such as a construction company, delivery truck, or moving van.

Since 11News first reported on the idea Monday, Lawrence says owners of truck rental companies have expressed concerns that their customers might be affected. U-Haul, for example, is often closed on Sundays – meaning residents would need to park large vans on city streets over a weekend. Lawrence says she is working on language to permit residential parking in those situations.

In addition, she says, the ordinance as written would affect people using RVs to visit friends. Lawrence says the city’s legal department is coming up with a way to prevent those vehicles from getting tickets.

Lawrence says she came up with the idea of banning mid-size trucks from overnight residential parking because of concerns about safety. Tow trucks are particularly dangerous, she said, because they “zoom in and out of neighborhoods to get to their clients.” On Monday, Lawrence told 11News she grabbed a measuring tape and discovered the smallest tow trucks are about 23 feet long, while the largest personal pickup trucks are just shy of 22 feet.

Council Member Anne Clutterbuck encouraged Lawrence to amend the rules to also prohibit vehicles from blocking a city sidewalk, even if they are parked in a driveway.

“That tow truck parked in that driveway on Stella Link, I’m talking to you,” she said.

Currently, trucks more than 30 feet long are barred from parking on residential streets from 6:00pm to 7:00am.

Council members will revisit the issue on May 14.