CARMEL, Ind. – You may not be able to block out a spot days ahead of time next year to watch Carmel’s Fourth of July parade.

For years, people have planted chairs, tents and blankets days ahead of the Carmelfest parade. City council president Jeff Worrell calls it a “quaint tradition,” but says it’s out of hand — some people staked out ground as much as 13 days ahead of time this year. In some cases, they literally staked out ground — and the stakes they pounded in damaged two irrigation systems.

Even when the damage isn’t that significant, Worrell says businesses have been complaining they can’t mow their grass, while tarps and blankets left on the ground for days have killed patches of grass.

Worrell’s introduced an ordinance which would outlaw blocking off spaces until six a-m the day before the parade, and ban early placement of anything except lawn chairs.

The ordinance must be heard in the council’s Land Use Committee, so a final vote won’t come until at least mid-September. Worrell says there could be changes to the details, but says he believes there’s broad support for the general concept.