Linda McBride brought a different parking dilemma to council on June 26. She has lived at 264 Spring St. for 24 years, and parking has always been at a premium. She said in the past the neighbors had been able to work together and she was able to park fairly near her home. Dynamics have changed, and for the first time neighbors are not working together anymore which means often there is nowhere to park near her home.
She said one home nearby has five vehicles all are parked on the street. Vacation rentals like Airbnb are showing up, so there go more spaces. A nearby tourist lodging added another unit but without any additional parking, so there is another competitor, and some homes have no parking to begin with.
“You’re gonna have to find a way so that those of who do not have parking on our property have a place to park,” she told council. She said there are times there is no parking available in her neighborhood at all.
McBride did offer possible solutions, one which would be to stripe parking spots. Then if a household camps two vehicles in three spaces, they can be cited. Another solution would be to consider if three trolley stops are really needed in that area, or if the trolley spaces could be available after 8 p.m. “Y’all are gonna have to find a permanent solution to this,” she said.
McBride said Fayetteville neighborhoods near Dickson Street encountered a similar problem, and Fayetteville city council responded with a program of parking stickers for residents and serious fines for interlopers. There were also accommodations for residents who were expecting extra guests.
She cautioned council not to get bogged down in petty squabbles in neighborhoods, but remain focused on the bigger picture, which is long-term solutions. “Please address this problem,” she implored.
Mayor Butch Berry said he had spoken with Public Works Director Dwayne Allen about striping the area, and with Transit Director Ken Smith about the need for three trolley stops in that stretch. Berry said Smith was not convinced three stops were necessary.
The mayor suggested Planning set up a committee to look into the parking dilemma in this neighborhood first and others afterward, and said the police department should be in the discussion. In the meantime, he will continue to work with department heads on need for a solution.