Loading ...Take Our Parking Survey: “Should the City Council Outlaw Overnight Parking in Front of West U Homes?”
Loading ...Wednesday 25 April 2012
Loading ...Wednesday 25 April 2012
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Absolutely NOT! This is a simple matter. I wish the 7 “Yes” voters would provide some explaantion for their point of view here. My reasons for voting “no:”
Guests and workers need a place to park — and there’s no way to get all these cars into driveways and garages.
More cars in driveways means more blocked sidewalks. This will force people to walk in the streets more often — this an unintended consequence that is bad for safety.
Cars parked in the street absolutely force people to drive more slowly/cautiously. If you are a resident of West U you probably already drive carefully because you know there are lots of kids here and because you truly care about your community. People passing through West U may not be as tuned into our character, however, and wider streets will lead to a greater opportunity to speed. We could, of course, throw down a bunch of speed bumps — anyone up for that???
Most driveways are a car width wide. Multiple car homes will be forced to play a game of “move your car” when blocked-in people wish to enter/exit.
Finally, more cars in driveways brings vehicles closer to where we live. Simply put, increasing the proximity oof cars to our homes and sidewalks increases the risk of bodiily harm. Right now we worry about our kkids running out into the street between parked cars and getting hit by an unsuspectiing motorist. How about the risk of kids/pets/anyone running down the sidewalk and getting hit by an unsuspecting motorist backing out of or into a driveway? Yes, accidents can happpen any time, anywhere, and we shouldn’t be overly paranoid and overprotective; however, in this case we all know that streets are where cars go and sidewalks are where people go. Let’s not methodically increase the number of times that cars cross that line.
Very well reasoned.
Since cars parked on the street make it safer because drivers will be more careful I guess we could reduce injuries in auto accidents by replacing air bags with spears pointed at drivers chests. It seems pretty obvious that cars parked in the street make for a more dangerous, not less dangerous situation.
Not sure how many workers people have stay overnight at their home, but I suspect it is not many. I don’t think anyone has suggested not allowing street parking during the day. If there are visitors who need to park in the street temporarily I suspect that could be handled with a call to the police department like the vacation watch program is done.
It seems to me that those opposed to a ban on overnight parking are more concerned about their own convenience than they are about what is best for the community. If property rights are so important on private property why isn’t the public right important on public property? Have we become a community in which I, me, and my trumps we?
Les, I guess we’ll have to disagree on whether street parking creates safer or less safe neighborhoods. That’s fine. Your conclusion, that street parking is more dangerous, is absolutely not obvious to me. Perhaps there is empirical evidence that someone can offer up to help the debate. I am NOT an expert on the subject, but the first five reference documents I found during a Web search on the subject revealed professional opinions that wider streets lead to greater accidents/mile. Here’s one such document–there are hundreds more: http://www.greenerprospects.com/PDFs/Greener_Streets.pdf. The author of this article (“town planner with 35 years experience working with civil engineers in assisting local governments”) provides quite a few data points supporting narrower throughways.
Your spear point (no pun intended) does make sense, but I think it veers off of the reason for my comment. I’m not suggesting adding additional cars to the streets to reduce speeds, I’m saying that removing cars from the streets will probably lead to greater speeds on our streets. Draw your own conclusions from that if you wish. Perhaps one might believe that greater speeds will clear our streets of cars faster and therefore we will be better off.
I believe the debate is about parking on the streets at all times of day/night. Public service vehicles require access during the day as well as overnight.
Emergancy vehicles have to back up and go around many times each year. This will make a difference of life or death sooner or later. Is the inconvenience of parking in your garage or driveway worth this?
Please read the survey carefully. It says “overnight” parking.
There should be no workers, housekeepers or nannies parked on our streets during the night.
The police can be more effective when driving down the street at night to check for vehicles that should not be in the area.
Our streets are littered with cars of residents who can no longer get their cars in their garages because they are filled with stuff. The normal West U driveway should hold at least 3 cars and with a 2-car garage, that is 5 cars. Who needs more parking space than 5 cars?
Young kIds running around in the streets late at night? Workers and guests hanging around overnight? I realize that this is an emotional issue for some folks but it would help the discussion if people calmed down long enough to actually read the question correctly.
I don’t know that outlawing overnight parking in front of all homes is the answere. I do think that for the homes which have ample parking for those who reside there that it should be mandatory for them to use their driveway, especially overnight. I have an older home, built in 1937, and have only a single vehicle driveway. If my daughter or any guests to our home park their vehicle behind mine in the driveway, it crosses over the sidewalk. What is puzzling and very frustrating to me is that most of my neighbors have multi-vehcile driveways which allow for at least two car to be parked side-by-side or behind each other , and without any of them crossing over the sidewalk. Yet, their driveways are empty – their cars are parked in the street day and night. One neighbor in particular insists on parking their car in the street directly across from the end of my (very short) driveway. I have to maneuver around them and drive over part of my lawn to exit. The real concern about these vehicles being parked in the street is the passage of emergency vehicles. If there are two vehicles parked in the street across from another, I have many times witnessed emergency vehicles unable to get through. Even our garbage trucks are often not able to pass. My suggestion would be for the City to allow street parking – day & overnight, for only those residents who’s home is older and therefore, does not have a driveway for which to park more than one vehicle. For everyone else – which is most of West U, that big patch of concrete is called a driveway, it’s the place you’re suppose to park your car.
Emergency vehicle access is a valid point. Rather than banning street parking throughout the entire city, limit street parking to a single side ONLY on those streets that are very narrow. Problem solved.
Perhaps some education is all that is needed on these narrow streets. If people want their garbage picked up and if they want the fire department to be able to protect their properties, then they should be gently encouraged to keep their streets accessible.
Suzanne, I sympathize with your personal situation, but why do we need an ordinance to solve what you should be able to solve by simply talking to your neighbor? If they are jerks and refuse to accomodate your reasonable wish to be able to exit your driveway wiithout killing the grass, then that is their right. You have the right to be obnoxious back to them, if that is what it comes down to.
My letter to [email protected]
With all due respect, some things to consider with regard to the prohibition of street parking currently being under consideration by city council:
The following quote is attributed to the city manager in an online article: “they say … at times, many streets are effectively closed to emergency vehicles and other larger service vehicles that may need access to homes,” ”
Who are “they”, and can evidence be cited to back that contention up? On that same note, when is the last time a garbage truck, probably the largest and most ubiquitous -large- vehicle on the streets five days a week , didn’t pick up garbage, as scheduled, because it couldn’t get through due to street parking?
Who is behind this and why?
We need a clear list of the reasons this is being considered, the quoted sentence above is not sufficient to make that determination. Is the reason behind this proposed prohibition on street parking simply the first part of a move toward mandatory, automated “garbage bin” use in WestU?
In short, let’s be careful about manufacturing non-issues as justification.
Better to use actual, cites/ facts in discussing, as well as in making a decision, as this, if implemented, is ultimately going to be a major headache/inconvenience for a large number of the residents simply based on the size of the city, the diversity of lot sizes, the ubiquity of front loading garages, the mix of old and new homes, and homes with 9′ driveways being approximately 4 on each and every block.
Prohibiting street parking also has an obvious potential to make the blocking of sidewalks a bigger issue/problem than it is now.
Children can be seen daily playing basketball, hopscotch and other games in driveways, rather than in the streets.
Prohibiting street parking will arguably move many more cars onto driveways. With no room left in the driveways, will not the street be the next logical place for a kid to migrate toward?
Driveway run overs are a tragic cause of child deaths. Around 2,400 kids each year – or approximately 50 children each week – are injured after being struck or run over by a car that is backing out from a driveway.
A good case can be made that moving more cars onto driveways by prohibiting street parking will statistically increase the odds of these types of tragedies.
As a walker, using the sidewalks, I have been very close to being hit numerous times over the years by folks backing across the sidewalk. Anything to increase this ever present danger is a safety issue for those using the sidewalks, and especially the inattentive young.
To those concerned about safety and speed of vehicles as justification, let’s see some statistical evidence that people won’t indeed drive faster because of prohibiting street parking . If the current speed limit doesn’t have an effect, why would removing what some are calling “congestion” due to street parking?
Southside Place is being used by proponents, and being held up as an example, as a justification for prohibiting street parking.
Be aware that SSP is .2 square miles in area, with many fewer streets and much larger lots. WestU is exactly ten times larger (2.0 square miles in area) and much more diverse in streets and lot size. Comparison with Southside Place is arguably not a valid, apples to apples, comparison.
Well said.
Karl,
From the site cited above, the following data points:
“wider streets are actually more dangerous than narrower ones. The traffic accident rate on 36-foot wide subdivision streets is 400 percent greater than the risk on 24-foot streets, according to studies from Longmont. CO.”
“wider streets are also more dangerous when all risks are considered (because of the higher travel speeds they generate). The risks from being injured in traffic accidents on wide subdivision streets is 37 times greater than the risks of being injured in a burning house located on a narrower street, due to the fact that house fires are exceedingly rare, while traffic accidents are not.”
“Sidewalks provide basic separation between motor vehicles and pedestrians (children walking to/from the school bus, kids on tricycles or scooters, parents pushing baby carriages, couples out for an evening stroll around the neighborhood, etc.), not to mention joggers.”
Thank you!
As Aaron indicated below, the “traffic calming” devices used in a few places in the city mimic, almost identically, the presence of cars legally parked on the side of the road.
This IS a problem. There are many ways to rationalize why parking should and should not be allowed in the street. As a frequent user of the city streets, I’ve seen first hand the problems that occur. More than once I’ve had to back half a block to go around the block because two SUVs were parked across from each other leaving barely room for a bicycle to pass on the street.
Since it would be MUCH harder to teach fools how to drive/park their cars. There is a simple and effective solution:
Parking on only one side of the street.
Karl , Brokelyn – well put…totally agree about this ordinance being a hazard to children. You hit the nail on the head, what is behind this ordinance? I don’t see any reason to vote for this, the present situation works well. Keep our city safe for the children.
Keeping vehicles on the street DEFINITELY slows down cars on every street which is a good thing! Who on Rice, Sunset, University, etc has not witnessed commuters racing through their area since they are wider.
In many communities targeted efforts towards traffic “calming” are going the other way by placing obstacles along roadways…it is great to see this issue discussed in a public forum to get the light of day.
Parking on one side of the street is nuts. With my luck, my side of the street will e the parking side. I already cant park infront of my own hiuse because my neighbor’s kids and house keeper park, blocking my sidewalk and makin it difficult for guests to even see my old bubgalow behind their suburbans. The alternating days/sides solution will be a chineese firedrill and is a nonstarter. Best solution, park in your garage/drive or restrict number of cars per household. That will solve the problem pretty fast.
If we agree on nothing else, let’s all come together to shoot down ANY proposal for “alternate side” parking. I lived in NY for a few years and alternate side street parking rules created a Seinfeld-worthy situation twice a week when everyone dropped whatever they were doing (at 10 am) to race to get a coveted spot on the other side of the street. It was insanity.
How about paying to park? This seems to be the norm in most dense communities across the U.S. How would this work? Meters and parking passes. $500 a month for a parking pass and $1 per hour for a sticker, distributed from an electronic meter at the end of the block. Problem solved. Most of us will find ways to park in our driveways/garages, while those that can/want to afford the convenience will continue to park in the street. If you want to leave your Mercedes on the street, you can pay for it – $6000 a year.
Is this true for residential areas without nearby commercial properties? In New York, Chicago, LA, and San Francisco, I’m familiar with residential areas that require permits to park, but in every case these areas are in fairly close proximity to commercial venues (ballparks, shopping centers, major parks) and the permits are designed to give parking priority to residents over vistors.
In any case, El Paso, your suggestion addresses revenue generation for the city, but does not address the issues brought up in this debate — safety and public vehicle access. Unless that money is used to hire more cops, buy more stop signs, install more speed bumps….
Karl, I think it is clear that “they” are out there. Who’s complaining should not be as important as the fact that there are residents that have concerns on both sides of the issue and City is prompting a thorough public vetting of this issue, which is a good thing. I am one of “them”, that has experienced the problem on city streets, but I am not yet convinced that there is a viable solution. I appreciate everyone’s constructive comments.
The should outlaw parking in front of the houses only if they then allow parking in the front yards :)
More government control. Why not just outlaw cars in West U, rip up the streets and create grassy walkways and gardens. People, we live in a car dependent city! Cars are our way of life.
Silly West U Zoning requirements that limit what I can build on my own property is part of the problem. Even if I wanted to build a bigger garage, the set backs, % of property that can be framed, and other zoning laws won’t allow me.
My house was built in 1938 and sides to Buffalo Speedway, one block from the light at Sunset Blvd. In the morning and different times in the afternoon, traffic is backed up toward the south past one or two blocks, certainly past my driveway. If I need to get out I sometimes have to wait for 2-3 traffic lights. It also blocks my street entering Buffalo. With added 16 and 18 wheel trucks the problem is exacerbated. I do park in front of my house most of the time but it’s really not very safe. Cars turn onto my street from Buffalo very fast and don’t seem to notice that I am getting into my car on the right side of the street.
Is there a reason why cars should be in driveways at night when there is considerably less pedestrian or car traffic to make a difference? With the recent string of car burglaries all over Houston, I think that it just makes sense to keep my car in the garage at night. The police are on top of this but they can’t be held accountable for every car in the street at night. I think we need to make suggestions around common sense and safety, but do we really need another policy or law? What about continued education and reminders in newsletters and community papers?
the city can built circle driways in the front yards of each home in West U to eliminate street parking.
The city planed the lot sizes and what could be built on it, now you are going to penalize the residents for your errors.
Its time to change the members of the city council, who are they getting their ideas from?
Citizen, City Council is soliciting our feedback. This is a good thing. Relax.
If the Southside Place model is used for West U, parking on the street would only be between 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. Parking only on one side of the street during the day would create problems. Garbage would have to be placed on the side without the cars, so it could be seen to be picked up. Also, I think every household in West U uses a different lawn maintenance company. Maybe the city should be like a Homeowner’s Association and for a required monthly fee (placed on the water bill) assume the responsibility of maintaining the lawns. Fewer lawn maintenance groups would certainly reduce traffic and perhaps the need for parking restrictions on residents.
Citizen,
When council only hears from the residents that think the parking on streets is a problem what do you expect them to do? I applaud them for taking the time and effort to promote this debate and find out what the majority of residents want instead of reacting only to the vocal minority. They have already said that they have no plans to do anything at this point but only want to hear from the public (even those with closed minds like you).
Here’s a novel idea:
Before rushing to any prohibition, how about let’s have a trial period of actually ENFORCING those laws which would arguably mitigate some of the legitimate concerns expressed here about street parking.
Think about it, City Council …
YES! Karl for MAYOR!
We are for continuing curbside parking on City streets. Night and Day. Why? We park in front of our own home to assure our guest(s) will have a space in our driveway. We also move our car to the curbside to make room or save spot for lawn-care, tree services and delivery vehicles. Not wanting the city to defend sudden need for new parking garage some time in the future.
Try some paint instead. Streets with parking lanes and what size cars can be parked (certain streets may be so narrow only up to mid-sized cars could park on either side of lanes) . “Redesign Existing Parking: Increase the number of spaces in existing parking by using currently wasted areas (corners, edges, undeveloped land, etc.) and sizing a portion of spaces for motorcycles and compact cars. Small size stalls (275 square feet) require about 20% less space than average stalls (325 square feet). Up to 25% of spaces can typically be sized for compact vehicles, resulting in a 5% increase in total parking capacity compared with all spaces being average size.”
Delineation worth a try. I often see one car parked in the middle taking two spots on a curb or two large trucks making tight fit.
Painting 2 lines defining a center lane will define enough area for cars and emergency/trash vehicles (same lines define parking spaces) so when drivers park their vehicles they can see the lines and how other vehicles are parked and use common sense or risk being ticketed if “over-the-line” blocking the center lane or a driveway or taking up two spaces instead of one.
Consider a tax-break to homeowners whose second and third vehicle are smaller.
Consider a tax-break to homeowners who share one vehicle, and use alternate transportation.
Consider a tax-break to homeowners who choose sub-compact cars and carts.
If the city wants to generate more town center parking spaces, “the unlimited-time policy has turned out to be popular with drivers who can now park for as long as they are willing to pay. The demand-determined meter rates create turnover at the most convenient curb spaces, and long-term parkers tend to choose the cheaper spaces in off-street lots.”
Generate money by metering some parking spaces on towncenter strip, at police station / city / library lots and partner with Southside’s parking lot…the closer one parks in primo spots, the higher the fee at times of high usage and no fee at all certain days/times of low usage.
See a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation…cut/pasted notes – 7 paragraphs below from: http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm72.htm
Most cities keep their meter rates constant throughout the day and let occupancy rates vary in response to demand. Instead, cities can vary their meter prices to keep occupancy constant at about 85 percent. The goal is to balance supply and demand everywhere, all the time. Most cities also limit the length of stay at meters so long-term parkers won’t monopolize the underpriced curb spaces. But after Redwood City adjusted meter rates to guarantee the availability of curb spaces, it removed the time limits at meters.
Other cities have also begun to adjust their meter rates to ensure the availability of curb parking. The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded grants to Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco to test performance prices for curb parking, and Washington, D.C., has already started them. Pasadena and San Diego return meter revenues to enhance public services in the metered districts.
Any city can use a pilot program to test Goldilocks parking prices for curb parking. All the city has to do is allow any business district that requests a pilot program to have one. It won’t cost the city anything, because the meters pay for themselves. Dirty and unsafe streets will never be great, so the city can initially use the meter revenue to pay for clean-and-safe programs.
Many communities may value clean and safe sidewalks more highly than free but overcrowded curb parking. After the community is clean and safe, the parking revenue can pay for urban amenities such as street trees, underground utilities, and public transit improvements. Parking on a great street may not be free, but it will be convenient and worth the price.
I personally like your idea of painted lanes as a valid safety concept. Clearly delineating lanes (other than the expansion joint, street divider, now in evidence) will have the effect on parking you suggest, as well as removing any doubt as to the possible “right of way” of oncoming vehicles with regard to yielding should your lane be blocked. This is a common problem we all see when driving in WestU, when the lane in which you’re traveling is blocked by a parked car. While a bit of courtesy always solves the problem, it is not, unfortunately, something that can be relied upon.
Neighbor (and I do have a special place in my heart for the nameless),
Circular driveways for a home that sides to or faces any busy street, would just mean you lose your front yard and get to watch people do turn arounds in your driveway.
It would not be my intention to penalize anyone – just to encourage people to use respect and common sense. Sometimes education accelerates that common sense.
So the question here is whether we should allow Overnight parking or not. First of All what is the definition of overnight. 6- 6 or 10 p to 8 a ?
Not whether there should or should not be parking during the day for automated or manual garbage pick up and street sweepers.
What would be the reason to disallow overnight parking? There is no garbage pickup or street sweeping or kids playing at night.
Is overnight parking limitation for security so cars dontt get broken into ?
I can understand asking people to park on the south side or north side at night. Or no parking on street Sweeping days or automated garbage pick up days but creating another selectively enforceable law does not make sense.
It’s absurd to even propose prohibiting parking in front of homes. Streets are a public right of way. We live in a very, very urban environment and people in West U and Shouthside need to stop being so paranoic about cars in fron of their house.
It is true that there is a problem in most West U streets when cars are parked on both sides; emergency vehicles sometimes cannot get through.
This can be solved easily by alternate “no parking” as it is done in other cities throughout the country.
I agree that this seems to be the best solution.
I have no problem with overnight parking, but am more concerned with daytime parking…like when a landscape truck parks right across from another parked car so that one has to roll down his/her window and pull in the side mirror to get by?!! How about looking into something that requires parking on just one side of the street?
Let’s eliminate all front yards and replace them with parking lots. Then let’s rebuild all our streets to be 3-4 lanes wide so cars can park and vehicles can get through in the center. Let’s pave over our city parks to also create more parking spaces.
Why is this City Council always trying to expand government? Why don’t they just adjourn and just go away. Are we living in West U, Texas or West U, California?
We need City Council and their silly rules to keep people wiith little common sense from doing things that make little sense.
Extreme views in either direction are a by-product of oversimplification. It is easier to simply put issues in one of two buckets, much as our politicians do, and react with admiraion or contempt. Mr. H, I do think that under your bluster there is intelligence worth our attention, but your severe over-reaction to all suggestions that would result in a penny being raised/spent by a governmental unit on the behalf of society limits your effectiveness.
Karl,
Who is rushing for a prohibition? This process appears to be just the opposite. What laws are you referring to that are unenforced when brought to the attention of the police? Are you saying that the police should concentrate a higher percentage of their time writing parking tickets?
Distance from curb. Blocking pedestrian right of way (sidewalk). Parking the wrong direction on a street. Parking too close to a stop sign. There are numerous laws and regulations that the police simply don’t enforce, by no fault of their own, as I’m sure they are directed to more pressing matters. Nonetheless, laws are laws, parking violators are just as guilty as those who speed and run stop signs and should be “encouraged” to comply with the law.
As Money indicated, legally parked vehicles are rarely a problem on most streets, except, of course, on high traffic blocks, like Rice between Auden and Edloe. The main culprit is distance from the curb. AAMOF, witnessed that this very morning, three times in four blocks, with yard crew trailers haphazardly parked. One of those, and a car opposite not the legal distance from the curb will certainly make it a squeeze for a garbage truck. But, once again, that is the result of scofflaw’s, and a direct enforcement issue.
I occasionally see parking violations as well, which is not unique to West U. However each time I have called in this type of violation the police took care of it and I have not seen the same violations by the same individuals again. If everyone that noticed these violations called those in it would not take long to gain improved compliance.
Another enforcement solution might be for parking to be handled as more of a code violation in a different city department instead of police enforcement so the PD can continue focusing on more important crimes. Or maybe citizens can be trained to enforce the parking laws for the city. I believe other cities do this. I’m just not convinced that we need certified peace officers overly focused on the measuring of specific distances from curbs, intersections, etc., of parked cars in the city.
Let me get this straight. So when city council’s over time consistently hear from residents that there is a parking problem on streets (or any other problem in the city) they should just ignore them? Patrick Henry should run for office on that premise. Elect me and I promise to ignore you!
I’m wondering now what is at the heart of this discussion. Do we think perhaps it has to do with the automated trash pickup that the City will be implementing in the next two years and the need to get cars off the street for the new trash vehicles which will be using a giant arm to lift extra large trash bins?
Change the trash truck with a fire truck. Many streets in West U, maybe not yours specifically, can’t fit a police care, much less a fire truck, down the street in the evening. Drive around in the evening, like around Fordham, Lake, etc.. and see some of the issues. Other streets, like Pemberton, can park cars on both sides of the street and still have room for a semi truck. This shouldn’t become an issue when you need help and help has to wait for residents to move cars to get to you. Let’s address this issue now.
I believe the city plans to have a resident survey on the automated trash issue sometime in the near future to determine if the majority of residents are for or against that. Damn, there they go again asking residents what they think instead of just doing it.
I do not think the residents that have expressed concerns about street parking connected it to trash collection. I know I did not.
A SOLUTION LOOKING FOR A PROBLEM – Below is a writeup of a 2004 meeting with Ross concerning parking on Rice Blvd
From: Serpell Edwards [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 2004 3:04 PM
Subject: NO PARKING SIGNS
To: Fellow residents of the 3700 block of Rice Blvd.
Subject: NO PARKING signs along the south side of the block
On Monday, 16 August 2004, I met with West University’s city manager Michael Ross to discuss the permanent NO PARKING signs placed along the south side of the 3700 block of Rice Blvd. I would like to share that discussion with everyone on the block. Here is a list of the points discussed during our meeting:
I was surprised that we were not informed that permanent NO PARKING signs were going to be installed. Ross replied that the signs were installed to correct a safety problem that exists along the 3700 block of Rice and that the city did not have to notify residents. I then pointed out that we were informed in writing about the temporary signs that were installed during the work on University Blvd. during the summer and the same could have been done for the permanent signs. He claimed that he had no knowledge of the notice sent to us and that the city used the summer to “study” the traffic on Rice. Since none of the residents complained during this study period he assumed that we all favored the signs.
Ross stated that West University residents had expressed concern about children running into the street from behind parked cars and this was the major safety concern he was addressing. I agreed that this was a concern and that this problem exists on almost all of WU streets. I then asked about the new hazard created by no parking on the south side of the street; that is, visitors to families that live on the south side are now required to park across the street and cross Rice. And there are times when residents along the south side have to park across the street when in the past they could park on the south side and not worry about their children darting across the street to get home. Would this not tend to offset the increased safety generated by removing parking on one side of the street?
Several times during our discussion Ross referred to an increase in traffic on the 3700 block of Rice. Since I was not aware of this study, he said that he would look for it.
Ross mentioned that emergency vehicles had problems getting down the street when there were cars parked on both sides of the street. He then offered to show me a video of the problem. When I agreed to this he remembered that the video was of another street. I told him that in the 30 plus years that I have lived here I had never seen an emergency vehicle get stuck on our block. I agreed with him that during events on the school grounds, situations might develop where a truck could get stuck. (I failed to point out that temp. NO PARKING signs are placed on Rice during those events.)
During our discussions, Ross mentioned that streets were for the movement of vehicles and not a place to park cars. He suggested that people should park their cars in garages or their driveways and not in the street. He also stated that some residents even own 3 or 4 cars and that the residents should “listen to (or was the word “follow”) the city governments ideas on the number of cars per household and not park cars on the streets.” The way this statement was made led me to respond, “It was my understanding the government should listen to and follow the wishes of the people, not the other way around.”
I pointed out the NO PARKING signs made it difficult for the people who service our houses (plumbers, electricians, yard men, maids, delivery vehicles, etc.) to park along the street since a lot of the time no parking spaces are available. At times, these vehicles are parked in the driveways blocking the sidewalks, forcing people on the sidewalks to walk in the street in order to get by.
I pointed out that the signs have led to an increase in speed along the street. He said this could be controlled.
I pointed out that the signs would make it harder to sell our houses and would lead to a decrease in the value of our homes. He did not believe the NO PARKING signs would affect the property values. (Should the signs remain posted on Rice, I suggest that all of the residents of the 3700 block apply to the Harris County Tax Assessor for a reduction in our taxes).
In the end, we agreed to disagree.
COUNCIL & CITY:
ENFORCE THE LAW:
GET CARS O F F SIDEWALKS !!!!!!!!!!!
Point of clarification: Mr. Edwards, regarding your reference to our meeting around eight years ago to discuss the 3700 block of Rice, I must respectfully disagree with your characterization of my statements. There are no plans to debate them with you but felt that the record has to reflect the difference of opinion. Please plan to participate in one of the Town Hall meetings so the City Council may understand your concerns for your block of Rice Boulevard.
What I said in the 2004 email was written within minutes of our meeting. I stand by what I wrote!
i loved the story about how we should follow the government idea’s of how we should do things. does the government pay for our big homes in West U. do they feed your kids and take care of them. No. people should be able to park their cars in front of their homes if they want to or put them in the drive way. why should any government have a say in this matter. what is next, control of everything else we do. oh i am sorry they are tryin for that. common sense should rule the day and not more idiotic rules and regulations.
I am having difficulty unnderstanding your thought about how a homeowner should be able to park on the street if they want to. This isn’t your “right” to a private street parking area when you purchased the house. This isn’t a new regualtion and power grab either. Many communities have association laws forbidding street parking altogether. You can’t lose something that isn’t yours in the first place. When you get down to it, that area in front of your house was partially paid for by me. I think I should have a say in it.
I love it. We should be able to do whatever we want to do whenever we want to do it. In fact why don’t we just eliminate all laws and live in anarchy.
The city owns all of the roads, NOT the individual resident that happens to purchase a home in front of that segment of road. All of the roads are built for the public travel.
I assure you that there are many areas of the city that have significant street parking issues, especially when an ambulance can’t get down the street. I’ve been there to witness that on a few occasions. There is an actual law on the books that says it’s illegal to walk in the street when a sidewalk is provided. With this in mind, I must agree that people should not block the sidewalks when possible. Getting the vehicles off the streets will certainly make the city safer, whether you want you want to debate criminally or for pedestrians. Criminals have no problems blending in during the night by parking with all the street vehicles. The daytime is harder and the transient population is more fluid so this is not an issue as much, with the exception of construction areas, and this blog doesn’t have enough room to tackle that. The housekeepers, nannies, and construction people are always traveling through and parking on the streets. For this post, it seems that people want to exercise their “illegitimate rights” and demand the opportunity to park on public streets. I think this, as with many issues, deserves to be heard by the people since it has a different effect on each resident based on where you live. It’s my own opinion that street parking should be limited on one side of the street or the other. Put this question on the next ballot and let the people decide by majority. Last, for those people parking on the streets that have a gated driveway where they can fit 5 cars, use them. You are adding to the issues in our city. There is NO reason to have an empty driveway and all your vehicles parked in the street unless you are cleaning the concrete.
I agree with all you have said, short of the alternating parking on sides of the street. Call it selfish if you like, but I’d rather ban parking than have everyone on my block parked infront of my house. It is not my property, but I darn well expect to be able to park infront of my own house, if anyone else can.
We live in WestU. Probably one of the most heavily regulated neighborhood in Houston. Everyone that bought a house in WestU knew this when they bought. Hence I’m surprised at the shock expressed by some folks. In fact it seems that what attract a lot of the homeowners is the fact that WestU is so heavily regulated . . . In order to maintain a certain appearance and property values.
Banning parking might not be such a bad idea. It would certainly keep the nutzo land rover drivers from speeding down the middle of the street. If there weren’t cars parked on their side of the street, there might be a be a chance that I won’t fear for my life in a game of carpool chicken. In the west u that I grew up in, you yielded to traffic if there were cars parked on your side of the road. Today, you just blow through without a care in the world, regardless of oncoming traffic that has the right of way.
One issue is indeed freedom of the citizens from a continuing morass of laws and ordinances when there are ample laws and ordinances on the books already … selective enforcement of existing laws is arguably at least a part of the real issue here.
WestU has survived nicely with residents, their relative and visitors, “street parking” since its inception. While arguably during a time when more regard and consideration for fellow motorists was in evidence, just a little bit more of that old fashioned consideration on the part of drivers, along with increased enforcement, could go a long way toward mitigating much of the problem.
Driving down the streets in WestU this past week during various hours with this issue in mind, my personal impression is that there is simply not a sufficient problem on _most_ streets to warrant an outright prohibition on _all_ streets.
Go ahead, try that with an open mind and see what you come up with.
In short, instead of using the blunt instrument of outright “prohibition” for all streets, let’s consider a period of actually enforcing laws which may mitigate some of the concerns about street parking; focusing council action on those streets where there is ample evidence of a problem; and possibly instituting a mini “public service campaign” on how best to park and drive on our residential streets, particularly with regard to yielding right of way, as Texas laws may differ from where one learned to drive.
Once again, this is contigent upon the supposition that there is NOT an unspoken ulterior motive behind prohibition … like to facilitate the outsourcing of automated garbage collection?
I’m still taking bets on that one … :)
I nominate the 3700 Block of Sunset.
Im not gonna take that bet! This stinks of trash!
Inform yourself. Instead of relying on photos taken by someone else, do the following as an exercise in objectivity:
Google Earth or Google Maps.
Type in any/your address.
Click on “Street View”.
Look both ways on the street chosen.
Do you see a problem?
Most of these photos or less than 2 years old, taken during daylight hours, and should give an overall, statistically reasonable for discussion purposes, idea of where any/your street stands during daylight hours on any given day.