The issue of parking problems in the residential area on Spring Street beyond the library came to the attention of city council at the June 26 meeting, and the Planning Commission offered a solution at its July 11 meeting.
Commissioner Woodie Acord provided an inventory of parking spaces from Pine St. north on Spring, saying there 17 metered spaces and one handicapped spot on Spring between Pine and Howell. From Howell to the library, there were 18 marked spaces, five library spaces with a 2-hour limit, one handicapped space and four marked spots just across from the library. However, there were no marked spaces on Spring from the library all the way to Harmon Park.
Acord stated that if a parking spot were considered to be 19 feet, there would be room for 103 marked spaces between the library and Grotto Spring. He said he was excluding red zones and the spaces would be on one side of the street only.
Commissioner Susan Harman said she had noticed wasted space because it is casual neighborhood parking and people spread out. “Striping would benefit the neighborhood tremendously,” she said, maintaining a more organized parking situation would alleviate many current issues, and give police patrolling the neighborhood a reason to speak to sloppy parkers. As things stand now, she said, there is nothing police can do.
Acord commented striping would open more parking spaces in that neighborhood. “In my mind, if people would use the parking available for their property, this wouldn’t be nearly as much a problem.” He was referring to multi-unit dwellings along that stretch that have off-street parking, and chair Melissa Greene said Planning should remind those residents to park off the street when possible.
After a brief discussion, Harman moved to recommend to council that the city stripe Spring Street from the library to Harmon Park. Commissioners acknowledged there might be red areas along the way, and vote to approve was unanimous.
Next meeting will be Tuesday, July 25, at 6 p.m.