Swampscott business owners want more parking

SWAMPSCOTT – Sea Glass Wine and Beer may be in a prime spot for foot traffic, but owner Michelle Penny said if customers can?t find a place to park to come into the Humphrey Street store, her business will fail. Penny, who opened her store at 130 Humphrey St. a month ago, told Traffic Study Committee members in their meeting Friday that customers are complaining to her that they would shop at her store, but end up driving away because there?s nowhere to park just to run in for a bottle of wine.?I can?t afford anything to hurt my business, I can?t,” said Penny. “I?ve put everything into it.”Penny, accompanied by new O-Yo Frozen Yogurt owner Loi Nguyen, suggested that one or two of the one-hour parking spots be changed to a 15-minute spot, to provide a more rotational space for customers just “running in.”But because of the inconsistency it would cause among the rest of the parking spot along the street, committee members wouldn?t support it. Swampscott police officer and committee member Lt. Gary Lord said, “With the logistics of adding signage and properly enforcing it, it would add something I?m not exactly sure is necessary down there,” he said. “One hour is not all that long down there.”Police Chief Ron Madigan, who was present at the meeting, said if the town changed parking for every new business that moved into Humphrey, “We?d basically be chasing our tails accommodating business needs.”Instead, committee members suggested revisiting placing parking along Monument Avenue, an idea Chairman Dave Castellarin said was shot down in the past because the Conservation Commission thought it would take away from the aesthetic of the historic Olmstead District.Castellarin told Penny and Nguyen to come before the Board of Selectmen in their meeting Wednesday, where the committee would recommend the board to approve two 15 or 30-minute spots be added to the Linscott Park side of Monument Avenue.Penny said she and Nguyen would bring other business owners to the meeting, including those from Ocean House Surf Shop.Kait Taylor may be reached at [email protected]