Cars parked haphazardly in the front yard – a common sight in areas with student rental housing – will soon become illegal across a large swath of Southwest Raleigh.

Originally designed to cover the entire city, the limits approved last week by the City Council will instead apply only to designated districts, starting with an area encompassing 12,000 residents around N.C. State University, where the issue has been most prevalent.

The new rules, which take effect Nov. 1, spell out what property owners must do to create acceptable parking areas.

During deliberations off-and-on over the past eight years, landlords and property rights activists derided a ban as government overreach, though no opponents showed up to speak at a vote last week.

The targeted area is bounded by Hillsborough Street and Wade Avenue, Lake Wheeler Road, Tryon Road and Jones Franklin Road, all of which are within the district of Councilman Thomas Crowder, the chief proponent for the policy.

The policy “protects and preserves neighborhood character,” said Linda Harris Edmisten, who urged City Council members to apply the rules citywide.

“Hopefully other neighborhoods will see this,” said Councilman Russ Stephenson.

“In my area, that will be the next step that we need to take,” said Councilman Eugene Weeks, the District C representative for Southeast Raleigh.

The policy delves into minutiae such as gravel borders and the location of shrubs.

Front yard driveways and parking areas in single-family homes will have to be made of surfaces that won’t erode, such as concrete or asphalt. Gravel or crushed stone are OK, as long as the borders are clearly defined.

Residents who can’t afford or don’t want to restructure their driveways must park single-file, perpendicular to the curb, or park on the street.

Violators can face zoning violations that bring $100 fines for the first offense and $500 for each subsequent offense.