Change in street-sweeping schedule leads to a major dust-up in ghent

I'm not 100 percent sure what a firestorm is, even less sure how to ignite one. But I do know that when one references one, use the word "veritable" as a modifier, as in: "When The Warrior wrote of the new street-sweeping schedule for Ghent last week, I did not know I was igniting a veritable firestorm."

To review, starting July 1, Norfolk increased its citywide sweeping schedule to monthly. Used to be, two-thirds of the city had been swept every two months.

Ghent always got a monthly sweep, but the parking restrictions that accommodated it were changed from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. the first Tuesday to 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. the first Wednesday of every month.

Reader Suzanne Scherberger took issue with the switch from three hours to eight on sweeping days, saying there's nowhere to put the displaced cars on her street, Redgate Avenue. She said it's a ploy to get more parking ticket revenue.

Lots of letters came following the column, pointing out an issue that merits review by the city: Moving the street-sweeping schedule to 7 a.m. suits NO ONE. Not folks who work a late shift, not folks who work daytime hours.

But don't listen to me. Reader Barbara Murphy wrote:

"Seems these hours were not well thought out. If all parking spaces on both sides of the street are occupied in the evening there is no where to move our cars thus leaving us only two options... get a $35 parking ticket or get up at 6 am in order to get ourselves and our families ready for the day and move our car to another neighborhood."

She suggested rolling the starting time back to 10 a.m.: "People who work will have gone by then thus freeing spaces for the remaining residents."

Reader Brenda Bodnar wondered whether the city ever considers "those people who work the late shift at work? My oldest child is in the medical field and works sometimes until midnight. Is she going to feel like waking up early so that she can move her car simply so that a sweeper can sweep the gutters? NO WAY! However, she is forced to do it, or be faced with a hefty fine! Very unfair Norfolk... think about those who work a different shift than you do! Let my poor child sleep in!"

I heard from many apartment dwellers, who wrote similarly of the parking dilemma.

How about a second look at high-density Ghent's street-sweeping schedule, Norfolk?

Lane markers missing

Reader Susan Van Tiem wrote of a dangerous situation at the Little Creek East shopping center, located where Little Creek Road meets Shore Drive.

Van Tiem said the entrance/exit adjacent to a Ruby Tuesday restaurant is minus any lane markers, so drivers don't know it's a two-lane road.

"Twice in the past month, out-of-state trucks heading out to Little Creek Road drove to the light and went into the far left lane - which is for cars entering the shopping center," she wrote.

The problem is on private property, but Norfolk Public Works nonetheless approached the owner, Global Real Estate.

The Warrior is told that Global will remark the lanes. I'll watch to see when that happens.