First, the council unanimously voted to prohibit parking at a segment of Lake Falls Terrace, an entry street between Memorial Elementary School and the Lakewood Hills subdivision. The move aims to reduce congestion in the area during the school’s pick up and drop off times.
According to the agenda item, parents picking their children up at the elementary school regularly park on the short segment of Lake Falls Terrace immediately west of Josey Lane during arrival and dismissal times, causing congestion within the entrance to the neighborhood. The agenda item states the elementary school has sufficient parking and pickup lanes available with ample queuing.
The ordinance will prohibit parking on the north and west sides of Lake Falls Terrace from Josey Lane to Lakewood Bluff Trail and along the south side of Lake Falls Terrace from Josey Lane to a point 175 feet to the west. Signage will be installed to indicate the new parking restriction, according to city documents.
The council also unanimously approved a proposal to prohibit parking on a section of North Mill Street between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. in an effort to reduce what the city refers to as "parking nuisances" in the area. The ordinance will enforce time restrictions on parking 200 feet north of the centerline of Hedgerow Lane to 300 feet south of the centerline.
An overnight restriction was favored over a parking time limit because it would be easier for the Police Department to enforce and would have less impact on the community.
Parc Lake, an apartment complex near Northview Baptist Church, implemented parking restrictions within the last year to help curb unauthorized vehicles parking on the premise, according to the agenda item. The church entered an agreement with the city in 2013 to build public head-in parking along both sides of North Mill Street within the affected parameters. The additional public parking was intended to benefit the church along with nearby residents.
Though city documents state the area has dealt with issues such as vehicles remaining parked in spaces for longer than a week, disabled and damaged vehicles parking in the head-in parking spaces and trucks and trailers taking up multiple spots for extended periods.
Apartment residents and guests have reportedly been parking in those spots overnight to circumvent the parking permit process enforced by the complex. This has caused an increase in debris and litter in the parking spaces and nearby private properties, according to the agenda item. The church is in favor of the new restrictions, documents stated.
The entire July 11 meeting agenda can be viewed here.
