Parking issues spur more debate

Some want city to again ban overnight parking

By Jennifer Eisenbart

Staff Writer

Depending on how you look at it – and who you ask – the City of Burlington’s switch a few years back in regulations for overnight parking was either a terrific change, or a huge mistake.

Even the City Council couldn’t come to a consensus on which it was Tuesday night.

In a discussion of possibly moving away from the odd/even side parking currently allowed to a “no parking” rule with exceptions being granted, about the only thing anyone seemed able to agree on Tuesday night was that both methods were flawed.

In the end, the consensus from the council was to get options from the city – both for returning to the no parking policy and with modifying the current process.

At the heart of the issue are problems with Meadow Lane and Chapel Terrace, two streets with heavy apartment traffic. With renters finding it easier to park on the street to access their apartment or safer to do the same, many are parking on those streets and tying up one whole side of the road.

That doesn’t sit well with area residents. John Eckes made an impassioned plea that homeowners deserved better.

“How many of you want that parked around your home?” he asked. “There are vehicles parked there day after day, week after week, month after month.”

Adding to the problem is that, in a concession to homeowners, only one side of Meadow Lane can be used.

As a result, street sweeping and plowing are both being affected.

“We need to do something,” Eckes said.

City staff agreed. In making the switch from no overnight parking on the street allowed without permission received from the police department, the city had hoped to alleviate the administrative burden.

Instead, it is just as bad, and police have a difficult time determining whether vehicles are parking there for convenience – or to commit a crime.

There is also confusion over the odd/even alternate days – meaning cars are parked on the odd-numbered side one day and the even-numbered the next. Since residents are often confused as to which side they are supposed to park on, many receive tickets and come in to contest them.

Many apartment residents on Chapel Terrace and Meadow Lane came out in support of the switch, but also worried about where they could park their cars if limits were placed on how many times they could park on the street.

Still others complained they sometimes cannot use their assigned spot, and have to park on the street – or have guests that need to park on the street.

While the city will consider options on how to possibly return to the no-parking rule – with modifications on how many times people can park on the street in a given month or the year – a few aldermen said they received support of the odd/even parking.

One point all those in attendance agreed on though – whatever change the city makes, it’s time to make it, make it in the right manner and not to have to change it again.