Officials to ponder parking proposal

LYNN – With a growing number of residents moving into the downtown area, parking is becoming a bit of a problem.”To me, it’s a healthy problem to have,” said Economic Development and Industrial Corporation Executive Director James Cowdell. “I wanted these people here. I think we can find a reasonable solution.”More than 250 people have moved into the downtown area over the last several years, many bringing cars and a need for overnight and all day parking, which is something the area was never zoned for.Seth Albaum of the Downtown Lynn Neighborhood Association has been shopping around a proposal to various city boards and commissions that asks for nine changes aimed at making life easier for downtown residents.”We have a situation where residents and businesses are on the same side of a parking issue,” he added. “We’re not asking for anything radical.”He is proposing the elimination of “zone parking,” which disallows drivers to park in a given area for more than the one or two hours it is posted for. If a driver parks within a two-hour zone in the morning they cannot return and park in the same zone in the afternoon without running the risk of getting a ticket.The proposal asks for more information to be added to existing signage to indicate the exact hours and days the restrictions are in effect.”Some signs say two-hour parking,” Albaum said. “We live here so we know that’s not enforced on Saturdays but if you don’t live here you wouldn’t know that.”Albaum said he’d like to see the creation of a 15-minute zone on Munroe Street so residents can unload groceries and kids without blocking the street or double parking. He would also like to limit the hours on commercial loading zones so residents could park in the area overnight.Requests for consistent street sweeping, crosswalks re-painted and traffic enforcement in relation to stop signs, speeding and failure to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks round out the proposal.Police Chief Kevin Coppinger, who also serves as chairman of the Traffic Commission, said some of the requests are easily doable and others are being explored. He agreed it’s become an issue and there are legitimate concerns.”I’ve asked our Traffic Unit to do a survey of the streets Seth listed,” he said. “They will look at the signage and what they see as issues and try to get a feel of what our first steps should be.”Coppinger said he expects the report to be finished by the end of the week and addressed at the next Traffic Commission meeting on May 20.Albaum said he was glad to see the situation is getting some attention.”We want the reality as it exists reflected on the signs,” Albaum said. “I don’t think that’s asking too much.”He also said he plans to raise an issue with the Off Street Parking Commission that has come up in 2005 and again in 2010 to no avail.”We’re bringing back the idea of resident lot passes for overnight parking,” he said. “The Buffum Street lot is full during the day but it’s empty overnight and on weekends.”Cowdell called the majority of the requests reasonable and said he would happily mediate the issue between the Downtown Association and the city.”There are a high number of people living in the downtown that didn’t exist 10 years ago and I think the residents are being reasonable,” he said. “I think we can reach a happy balance.”