Overnight Onstreet Parking

[Cotuit]

What to we have to do to get this pilot happening in Federal Hill!!! I will work with other owners to petition the city - but just who do we speak to?

I assume you would start by contacting Councilor Lombardi. Also, from what David said, it seems the WBNA is backing it, so they may be putting a group together.

[jencoleslaw]

i think that if the UP Fed Hill folks want on street permitted overnight parking, we should probably try to work together to make it happen. Maybe meet up and put together a good letter with compelling arguments and present it to Council President Lombardi and then meet with him, and David Segal to talk about it in person. There will be some opposition unfortunately, but we may be able to prevail. Anyone wishing to work on this can PM me and maybe we can start to organize...? Or someone else can take the lead -that works for me too!

[Cotuit]

Not having a car myself, I'm not terribly passionate about this issue, but I'd be willing to meet with other people on it.

[Frankie811]

Is Providence the only city in this state that dosen't allow overnite parking?

[jencoleslaw]

Is Providence the only city in this state that dosen't allow overnite parking?

hm. i'd find it hard to believe, but it certainly could be true! Councilman Segal would know the answer to that if he's hanging around this morning...

[ruchele]

Is Providence the only city in this state that dosen't allow overnite parking?

The only municipalities I've ever hear of anywhere that ban overnight parking are Providence and Brookline, Ma. And brookline is an entirely different trasportation & demographic picture.

[lammius]

A LOT of towns down in NJ prohibit overnight on-street parking. I have an outstanding ticket for doing that in my town.

[Frankie811]

I have an outstanding ticket for doing that in my town.

Looks like we have one of America's most wanted here.

[ruchele]

A LOT of towns down in NJ prohibit overnight on-street parking. I have an outstanding ticket for doing that in my town.

Are those urban areas or suburbs? Do they have rail transit available?

[cheesebot]

I'm about to get my refresher on all this (it's been a few months since I looked at the regs). But because the pilot area is pretty compact, a parking pass will be valid for anywhere within that area.

We haven't devised a formal mechanism for expansion yet, but my hope is that it'll be done democratically -- neighborhoods that want it will be able to petition the city for it.

Any hint on how large this "South Side" pilot zone is? I'm in Elmwood so I'm not really sure if my neighborhood qualifies (some call this South Providence, some don't). So does this pilot reach to Upper Elmwood?

[eltron]

Any hint on how large this "South Side" pilot zone is? I'm in Elmwood so I'm not really sure if my neighborhood qualifies (some call this South Providence, some don't). So does this pilot reach to Upper Elmwood?

nope.

its in washington park, I think. definitely not elmwood.

[Frankie811]

nope.

its in washington park, I think. definitely not elmwood.

It was on ch 12 news tonight. It is Washington Park.

[lammius]

Are those urban areas or suburbs? Do they have rail transit available?

Of the communities I know in NJ that have these restrictions they encompass all of those options.

East Orange, for example, is an urban city with two train stations.

Highland Park (my town) is a more suburban borough with no rail transit.

In both communities I've heard police give the argument that the restrictions are to reduce the perceived threat of crime as parked vehicles could be staking out neighborhoods or staging a robbery. I think that's kind of a stupid explanation though.

[ruchele]

East Orange, for example, is an urban city with two train stations.

Highland Park (my town) is a more suburban borough with no rail transit.

I guess the point of my question is that an on-street parking ban might make sense 1) if the area serves as a light-rail hub and therefore, could attract a lot of non-resident cars, or 2)if the area is essentially suburban, where most houses are single-family and have lots that accomodate both yards and a driveway or garage. Providence is neither of these things. There's no danger of non-residents leaving their cars in Providence neighborhoods for extended periods of time (unless they are stolen, which is a different problem), nor is there space for all the parking that is needed plus trees, playspace, etc. for the 2-5 families that live on each house lot in most of the city.

I'm surprised that the parking program is starting in Washington Park- Isn't that Luis Aponte's ward? Miguel Luna (Ward 9 in South Elmwood) had said that he supported the pilot and was pushing for it in his ward. What happened to Miguels' support of this idea ? (Any ideas, David?)

[lammius]

I see. Highland Park might be like many neighborhoods in Providence. Older homes, very few have driveways or garages. There are alleys behind most of the rows of homes. Again, the police say the ban is in place to help prevent home burglaries. I don't know if it works or not. I live in a 5-story apartment building and park my car at a nearby grocery store each night.

[runturtlerun]

I attended the beginning of this meeting last night to get an idea of how the program will work. I didn

[basachs]

I see. Highland Park might be like many neighborhoods in Providence. Older homes, very few have driveways or garages. There are alleys behind most of the rows of homes. Again, the police say the ban is in place to help prevent home burglaries. I don't know if it works or not. I live in a 5-story apartment building and park my car at a nearby grocery store each night.

Hmmm, I grew up in Highland Park, NJ. Parents still live there. Are we talking the same HP? The one right next to New Brunswick, Rutgers etc?

[ruchele]

I attended the beginning of this meeting last night to get an idea of how the program will work. I didn

[Cotuit]

Where and when was this meeting? Was there public notice?

Somewhere in Washington Park, I saw something about it on the news.

[runturtlerun]

Where and when was this meeting? Was there public notice?

I believe that residents in the neighborhood were sent notice of the meeting and information about the pilot program. I'm not sure if it was publicly posted, I think it was meant to answer questions for those immediately impacted not for the city-at-large.

[Recchia]

Overnight onstreet parking pilot program beginning with Washington Park[Projo.com]

I'm shocked, some residents are pissed about the program.

"This has got to be the second-biggest drug-dealing neighborhood in Rhode Island," said Vermont Avenue resident Kevin Soares. "You are going to give these people the opportunity to sit out front and sell drugs."

Soares said residents won't be able to distinguish the dealers' cars from the legally parked cars.

"The neighborhood is going to go down," he said.

Talk about being overly dramatic...

[Cotuit]

The sky is indeed falling.

[runawayjim]

Is Providence the only city in this state that dosen't allow overnite parking?

cranston also has this same dumb rule... although i think in cranston, it's after 1am and if you know there's gonna be a car on the street, you just have to contact the PD and give them the address the car's at and the license plate number and they won't ticket it (i've heard this from a former cranston resident, he moved to CT around the time I moved to RI).

[Recchia]

The sky is indeed falling.

Tell me about it. I have a coworker who lives in Washington Park, I showed her the article and she said she would go to the next meeting and yell at everyone who's complaining. My job is done!

[jencoleslaw]

folks are just afraid of change. When i lived in Oregon, all the parking was on street, not permitted (i was in NE--i think it is permitted in NW) and we never had a problem with extra drug dealing or anything of that sort. Drug dealers don't PARK and deal. They MOVE and deal. More cars in the street more eyes on the street and i would thing would make it actually safer. An empty street is an unsafe street, in my opinion.