Monday, July 19, 2010

Tackling the parking issue, a lot of ideas have been discussed, but never acted on

A while back, I said I was going to start commenting on some of the comments that have been posted on COLUMBIA TALK.


Among the issues drawing plenty of attention are River Park, how the council conducts its meetings, Section 8 and slum lords/out of town landlords, budget cutting, the market, the condition of the streets and sidewalks and the list could go on and on.

So, here goes with the first issue of parking in Columbia.

To make it easy, the streets in Columbia weren’t designed for homes/apartments that have multiple vehicles.

With that being said, one of the biggest problems I see with multiple vehicles and parking deals a lot with the number of available spaces in a block. I’ll use a one block example, without dealing you were it is. There were seven houses on one side of the street. Of the seven houses, just two are one car houses. On the other side of the street, there are six houses, all with multiple vehicles, including one house with five vehicles and another with a vehicle, which is only moved for sweeping.

Plus, there are three cars parked on the block, whose owners live on another street, where there is parking.

Now, let’s talk about the problems with apartments. It doesn’t appear that in most cases, the buildings with multiple units, the ordinances designed eliminate parking issues isn’t being followed. And this isn’t anything new, its been going on for years. So, how do you alleviate the problem, well, perhaps you can start enforcing the ordinances, and/or make it tougher for the slum lords/out of town land lords to rent their properties and clean them up. That would be one idea.

Look around where there are lots in downtown? Who is filling them? Well, in some cases, it is the customers of the businesses, but in most cases, it is those renting apartments, who are filling them. There are signs in many of them as too who can park and who can’t. I urge those who own those parking lots to start calling police or the borough to have the vehicles towed. It’s a start, but as someone once said to me after seeing a cat booted, they don’t care about it and they are probably right.

A few years back at either a council meeting or one of those business meetings, parking in downtown was discussed. I even think someone did a survey of available parking in Columbia and there was plenty. Look in the alleys, okay to be politically correct in Columbia, avenues. But, since our town changes greatly after six, I’m not too wild about parking in the avenues.

The borough has created two parking lots – one next to the market and another down at the foot of Locust Street. Neither are really finished. It will help, as long as the apartment dwellers don’t find them first.

Another idea off that was making a couple of key streets like Cherry, Locust and Walnut, different directions of one way. I think it was Cherry and Walnut (300 and 400 blocks) one-way going out of town and Locust one-way coming into town. That and investigating angle parking in those areas or parking on one side of the street never got off the ground. I saw an awful lot of angle parking down South last week and it worked because the streets were much wider in some of the towns. But doing that in Columbia might be more of a problem than a help a nd wouldn’t take care of the problem either.

Is there an easy answer to the town’s parking problems? Well, with the pending finish of the parking lot in the 100 block of Locust Street, perhaps those who have businesses in the downtown use it for their employees.

I’d even be open to some type of parking permits.

All of this has been discussed, but action was never taken. Perhaps its time.

But I still think the easiest way to end the problems and if our town takes off like many expect, would be to enforce the ordinances on the books. It’s a start, a small one at that.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

you make an accurate statement as follows -

"investigating angle parking in those areas or parking on one side of the street never got off the ground"

with all that is at stake here - why would we not investigate angle parking and one way streets?

- and exactly who is it that has come to the conclusion that this won't help??

pk

Anonymous said...

A lot of the apartment dwelings are grandfathered in. So the new parking ordinances don't relate to them. Also where is the 300,000 people going to park when the they come over to the town from the turkey hill experience? Like the river park this should be addrested before hand not aftere the fact. Was it not Doctor Perry that addrested the angle parking on Locost Street?

Anonymous said...

I like the idea of angle parking and think it would be very effective for downtown. I really they need to make parking permits available for businesses and residents or any other visitor of Columbia. This would be a better way to get additional funds for the town then trying to recoup the costs for late tickets.

Anonymous said...

Yes it was Dr. Perry who addressed the angle parking. I'm not a big fan of one way streets, we are a small borough, not Lancaster City. Dr. Laird did an "unofficial" survey of the amount of parking available which is not being used. If I remember correctly, it was some huge number too. Also, there are apartment buildings in my block that have the potential to park behind but the landlords don't want to take the time to make it usable. This would take a few cars off the street. This type of situation should be addressed with a new ordinance.

Anonymous said...

Try living next to a four unit apartment plus the out of town landord rents a small garage to an individual who blocks the rear alley. Some days there is no parking on my block and I cant even get to my rear off street parking because the shade tree mechanic has the alley blocked. Yes, I have 3 cars 2 are ALWAYS parked in my offstreet parking. Thats is all I have room for.I used to have to tell people that my off street parking was not the property of the out of town slum lord, because they were using to vist and move in and move out. By the way who are these people living next to me? I belive that too should be addressed. I lived here all my life (42 Years) never seen these people. Now when someone parks in my driveway that is posted I either park them in and make them pay me before they get out or I simply damage their car. Yeah they may seek revenge, but I am sure my insurance is better then theirs and I probally have a couple more dollars then them, judging from the cars they drive. Then get two 20 inch snow storms back to back and watch them the spot you shoveled. Then you ask them why they did that and they say, S??? happens. They are rigt it did after 15 plus years of dealing with low life tenants and a out of town landlord S??? happens. I now take things into my own hands. No more police or code enforcement. EYE FOR AN EYE. If my quality of life is disturbed so will someone elses. Yes, could write a book on it, but for now I just take alot of photos and document things as they happen.

Anonymous said...

please explain what being "a small borough and not Lancaster City" has to do with not wanting one way streets? - even though we're smaller - we still have big parking problems and one way streets may be the most economical and viable fix. If every other busy town in the US has one way streets why shouldn't we? - I've been through towns much smaller then Columbia with one way streets around the square - and maybe even parts of Litiz come to think of it??

Anonymous said...

The best part of one way streets would be the improvement to the businesses. If Columbia split route 462 so 5th and chestnut st was one way west and 3rd and Locust was one way east Downtown Locust street would get more of the out of towners to see our "main" street. Businesses always like car traffic!! read more about it here:
http://columbia-investors.blogspot.com/2010/06/new-direction.html

Anonymous said...

I think parking spaces should be painted on streets. That way people could not park an take up 2 parking spaces. Some people can not park unless they take up a few places, so they would either learn to park or park in back of their homes. If you can not park in the spaces you would get a ticket. Some people do not know what a yellow line means, maybe this would teach them.

Anonymous said...

painting lines IS a good idea, i agree some people can not park and always take up at least 2 spaces !!! i wish more people would make Off Street Parking AND USE IT