Marblehead neighbors want input on garden center parking issues

MARBLEHEAD – Neighbors who live across the street from the Marblehead Garden Center want to be part of the discussion about the center?s parking problems.A month ago selectmen asked Garden Center owner Mark O?Connor and his lawyer, Attorney Paul Lynch, to propose a plan to resolve the traffic and safety issues at the center, both in front of the business and across the street, at the selectmen?s Sept. 8 meeting.Mary and Douglas Mader, who live directly across the street from the business, sent the selectmen an e-mail a week after that July 7 meeting, pointing out that the traffic and parking problems occur every spring due to the way O?Connor uses his space.?The Garden Center has designated parking spaces (about 12) but he uses this space for additional retail sales,” the Maders wrote. “Starting in May, he places large racks of products (mostly flowers) on display in the parking slots so customers are forced to park on the street.”?This continues through the season. He opens some spaces when the season winds down.This is selfish ? but it is the way he operates.”The neighbors noted that the staff is “mostly courteous” and places traffic cones in the area to keep customers from blocking driveways “but driveways are often blocked by Garden Center customers anyway.”The Maders said when they asked about the situation at “the zoning office” they were told that the Garden Center existed before the current zoning bylaws and due to “grandfathering” it is not required to provide off-street parking.They proposed installing “Resident Only” parking signs in the area, and asked the board to allow them to participate in the discussion.