Ordinance 2491 will allow preferential overnight parking on the 800 block of Pine Street. In a previous meeting, Fifth Ward Councilman Thomas ‘Thos’ Shipley brought up the issue as a workshop discussion in response to a request from residents on that block for overnight parking.
The ordinance removes a section that prohibits parking for all vehicles between the hours of 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. between Roselle Avenue and West Sumner Avenue. In a following section of the proposed law, a section is amended to allow only vehicles that have permits to park on the 800 block of Pine Street between those morning hours.
During the first public comment portion of the May 18th Mayor & Council meeting, resident Dave Robertson expressed his concern over giving yet another block permit parking.
“What is the demonstrated need for the 800 block to be given permit parking only?” he asked of councilmembers. Previously, Mr. Robertson stated that the piecemeal approach to parking is not addressing the overall problem with parking laws sometimes contradicting each other and not being cohesive nor comprehensive townwide. He stated, “Our one-square mile borough has 35+ pages of parking regulations that have been modified by 25+ ordinances.”
Additionally, Mr. Robertson feels that these type of ‘Not On My Block’ parking ordinances deprive other residents of parking on public streets.
He remarked, “I think it’s incumbent upon the council that a uniform policy on signage needs to be adopted and the parking policy and ordinances need to be made uniform throughout the entire community and all citizens need to benefits from the parking and the permit parking, I think, is ultimately going to have to go.”
At the May 4th municipal meeting, Councilman Shipley had stated the reason for the bill was that residents wanted on the 800 block wanted preferential parking overnight on the street which would match ordinances on Colfax Avenue and the 700 block of Pine Street. The councilman stated, “While I am in agreement with resident Robertson that the whole thing needs to be overhauled . . . at this point, right now, the residents on that street need to be able to park on their street and it would match everything else that’s there.”
The ordinance is set to have its second reading, public hearing, and vote during the June 1st Mayor & Council meeting.
A copy of the ordinance is available below:
Download RP Ordinance 2491