PORTSMOUTH
Parking regulations aren't going to change in Olde Towne after all - at least for now.
City Engineer Richard Hartman said that, because of opposition from residents, he doesn't feel comfortable with proposed changes in the regulations. Hartman made the comment in a Sept. 30 letter to Fred Sanborn, president of the Olde Towne Civic League.
Sanborn and some other Civic League members sought to change the district's regulations so that six days a week, 24 hours a day, only residents would be allowed to park there. Residents would have been given two guest passes and would have been able to request extra passes for special events.
The new rules would be a major change for nonresidents. Under the current parking policy, people without Olde Towne residential decals can park in the district for two hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays. On weekends, there are no parking restrictions.
Sanborn said he sought to change the policy because parking has been an issue in Olde Towne for many years. The residential neighborhood is just north of Portsmouth's businesses on High Street.
Sanborn said the changes would not be that unusual. Last year, Olde Towne South - the parking and residential district south of High Street - went to the 24-hour, six-day-a-week resident parking regulation.
He also said that a city-commissioned downtown parking study from 2006 found that Portsmouth has plenty of parking in its three downtown garages.
But Hartman wrote that much of the opposition to changing the regulations centered around the ability of nonresidents to visit Olde Towne. The city solicited public comment on the proposed changes this summer.
Fred Schoenfeld, who owns the Commodore Theatre on High Street, said the current system works. He opposed any changes.
The desire to change Olde Towne's parking regulations reflected the wishes of "just a couple of people in a small geographic location," said Schoenfeld, also an Olde Towne resident who serves on the city's Parking Authority.
"The worst thing you want to do is run away business, particularly now," he said.
The debate is likely to continue.
Sanborn said he has requested copies of the comments Portsmouth officials received and plans to discuss the matter with the Civic League's parking committee.
In his letter, Hartman wrote that the city manager has the authority to change or create a parking district and that Sanborn might want to involve the City Council in the decision.
"Until we have a better idea of a possible option or options, the current regulations and hours of enforcement will remain in effect," Hartman wrote.
Jen McCaffery, (757) 446-2627, jen.mccaffery@pilotonline.com
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Well, it is people who think like that
which make Olde Town Portsmouth one of the hidden gems of the area....
Craig....
I live in Portsmouth. Man, are YOU missing out!
Seriously!
wait, wait, wait, wait
People actually live in Portsmouth?
Fascinating.
Here, I've been under the belief that people go there to get robbed or mugged and for the City Council to provide lead stories for us all to snicker at each day.
Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!
Man! Where have I been?!
You made the choice!
The lack of parking that you complain about is NOT news to you. You made a decision to buy and live in Olde Towne. The parking situation has been the same for as many years as I can remember. It is the very reason I chose NOT to move into Olde Towne. If you want your personal parking space then find a residence with a private drive and purchase it. It is really that simple. Otherwise, live with the choice you made and suck it up. I, for one, will NOT use the parking garages downtown. They are NOT comvenient or particularly safe after dark. I won't leave my unique car or truck where it is vunerable to vandalism or theft so easily. Many times I've ventured downtown for dinner or a drink only to find no decent parking available. I just turn around and leave for VAB, Norfolk, or go back home. It is what it is..............
Portsmouth Parking
I'd hardly call the majority of the residents of the residential area a minority dictatorship of parking. This has little to do with what the residents think...it has to do with what the businesses think and the businesses think no one will shop downtown unless they can park in front of our homes. Then you have to factor in the few residents who don't want restricted parking because it sends out a bad message to visitors...of course these are the residents who have driveways and live on a block where no one parks. If suddenly they had parking issues, trust me, they'd be yelling for a change also. Never mind the crime, the homeless or the fact that how many people are going to travel to Olde Towne to shop in 4 blocks that tends to keep people away. As the article stated, Olde Towne South went to 24/6 restricted parking over a year ago and no one said a word. The city did not notify the newspaper, they did no
I've lived in Olde Towne
Sometimes you have to park a block or two away from your residence because of other residents.
Not a big deal ?
When I come home and have to park a block and a half or two blocks away from my house , I would call that a " big Deal " . When the parking garages are only a half block or two blocks from most of the popular businesses , but they are not being used . The patrons of the bars , restaurants , and theater are parking two to three blocks into the neighborhood and walking further than it would be from a public lot .
A lot of these "patrons' are inconsiderate and rude , especially between midnight and 2 A.M. when they come down our street over turning trash cans , vandalizing cars , flower pots , stealing flags off porches , taking porch furniture , peeing in the street , shouting and cursing .
Yeah , I WOULD call that a big deal !
If it isn't broken, don't fix it!
Mr. Schoenfeld is right on the money! I just moved out of Olde Towne. I would have loved to stay, but couldn't find a place with a garage in my price range. Parking is fine for residents in Olde Towne as it is now. It is a shame that Mr. Sanborn didn't get bothered by all of the pea gravel that was left over from the paving operations on Washington Street between London and Crawford and also Glasgow Street between Dinwiddie and Court. The streets are extremely dangerous to ride a bicycle or motorcycle on. Washington has gotten better, but only because the cars have gradually pushed the hazardous gravel to the curbs. Glasgow is currently extremely hazardous!!!
As much as Portsmouth is doing
it would be a big mistake to listen to a few to dictate the behavior of all. Parking is not as big a problem as few would like to make it, and the garages are not placed well either -- especially if you want people to frequent downtown businesses...