We received the following information from Lucy Simpson 3/22/09 regarding Raleigh City Council's Public Works Committee meeting Thurs. 3/26. As you can see they will be discussing the parking ban at Trenton Woods. Please attend if at all possible. If not, it would likely help to e-mail city council before that date. See posting of 2/5/09 for more information to include a sample letter and e-mail addresses. Your action is needed to make a difference.
PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE AGENDA
The Public Works Committee will meet on Thursday, March 26, 2009 at 9:00 A.M.Location: Room 201, City Council Chamber, Raleigh Municipal Building, 222 West Hargett Street, Avery C. Upchurch Municipal Complex, Raleigh, NC. For information call 996-3040 (City Clerk’s Office) or 996-3030 (Public Works Department).
All the following items are pending in Committee; however, only those items that are shown in bold print will be discussed during this meeting:
07-08 Traffic Calming – Birnamwood Road (1/8/08)07-27 Traffic Concerns – Five Points Area (7/15/08)I.A 07-29 Trenton Road – Bicycle/Pedestrian Path (8/5/08)07-32 Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (9/2/08)07-34 Roanoke Park – Concerns (9/2/08)07-36 Residential Permit Parking – Visitor Passes (9/2/08)07-38 TC-8-08 – Increased Stormwater Management Requirement (9/16/08)07-46 Street Closing – Davie Street/Empire Properties (11/4/08)07-49 Pedestrian Improvements – Lineberry Drive (1/6/09)07-50 Park Master Plan Study (1/22/09)I.B 07-51 No Parking Zone – Trenton Woods Way and Tree Side Court (2/3/09)07-52 Easement Concerns – 4709 Scollay Court (2/3/09)07-54 Traffic Concerns – Reaves Drive (3/3/09)The following items were referred from the March 17, 2009 City Council meeting:II. 07-55 Solid Waste Services – "Need Assistance" Program (3/17/09)
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The Public Works Committee Meeting: The majority of the time allotted to this agenda item was taken up with a presentation from the residents who are requesting the No Parking restrictions for their neighborhood which almost eliminated time for those who oppose the petition to state their reasons. Here is an example of a letter that you can send to the Raleigh City council members in response to what happened at the meeting:
citycouncilor@ci.raleigh.nc.us; charles.meeker@ci.raleigh.nc.us; mary-ann.baldwin@ci.raleigh.nc.us; russ.stephenson@ci.raleigh.nc.us; nancy.mcfarlane@ci.raleigh.nc.us; rodger.koopman@ci.raleigh.nc.us; james.west@ci.raleigh.nc.us; thomas.crowder@ci.raleigh.nc.us; pisley@boyceisley.com
Dear Council Members,
It was brought to my attention that during the Public Works meeting yesterday which was attended by Russ Stephenson and Mary-Ann Baldwin, there were a few issues in terms of the time that was given for discussing the No Parking
Petition for the Trenton Place subdivision that backs up to Umstead State Park. I am aware that about an hour and a half was given to the individuals who signed the petition while very little time was give to those opposed to further parking restrictions in this neighborhood.
I have serious issues about
safety concerns that will be compounded if more cars are forced to find parking locations on the sides of Trenton and Reedy Creek Road. There are currently 56 No
Parking signs in front of the two new subdivisions which block parking areas where many individuals previously could park to access Umstead. Now these
cars are forced further from the entrance and end up parking along the shoulder of Trenton Road, making a pedestrian's or cyclist's commute along this road even more dangerous.
I understand that the basis of the petition to further restrict parking in Trenton Place and soon Lakes at Umstead also claims that there is a safety hazard with parked cars. However, unlike this neighborhood, Trenton Road lacks the privilege of sidewalks and city
regulations that keep speeds to a minimum.
They were given over an hour and a half to present their case complete with video and comments from the Fire Dept. The opposition, mainly individuals who live off Trenton Road, were given less than half an hour, in which time they, only were able to discuss the other agenda item pertaining to increasing
safety along Trenton Rd.
Since there was not enough time to discuss many pertinent questions with the residents who are requesting the City to restrict parking on these streets so that only they can take advantage of these tax funded roads, I would like the opportunity to meet with Council Members in regards to several key points:
1. The requirements set by the Raleigh City Residential Street Parking Code are not met and therefore Parking restrictions on these streets in a sense would be illegal without further studies:
Sec. 11-2182. CONTROLLED PARKING RESIDENTIAL AREA.
(3) A parking study, of one (1) observation each two (2) hours, and conducted between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on a week day reveals that at least an average of seventy (70) per cent of the parking capacity of the proposed controlled parking residential area is occupied; and, (4) A minimum of thirty-three (33) per cent of the parked vehicles are registered to addresses outside the proposed controlled parking residential area
2. How can the City justify taking actions that would compound the danger that is already present for pedestrians and cyclists that use Trenton Road to Access Umstead State Park?
3. How can the City justify allowing Parking Restrictions in this neighborhood and not in other neighborhoods with similar if not worse safety issues (Five Points for instance)?
4. How can public funds be used to pave all of Reedy Creek and Trenton Rds, lay miles of sewage and water pipes to facilitate this new subdivision, and then not allow the public to use them to access a Public State Park?
5. The presentation by the residents has many inaccurate points that should have been given time to discuss yesterday. I understand that some of the individuals were shouting out like it was a basketball game when the opposition tried to point these issues out. They also presented two pictures (one from the Umstead Trail Marathon and one from an orienteering event) and claimed that it was typical to have that many cars parked along the curb which is far from the truth.
The people who park at this entrance
are good, kind people and for years have never caused the residents any
problems. The idea that they
pose a threat to anyone is inaccurate and is only being used by the residents in Trenton Place because they do not want people parking infront of their house. At the end of the day that is what they are really concerned about.
You can go down these streets where they claim park patrons endanger
their lives anytime of the week and at most see 2 to three cars on their curbs, most of which belong to construction workers...
Please, if you cannot make time to meet with me then email me responses to the
questions that were not given the time yesterday to be answered.
Complete hogwash. Most time was allotted to the city staff. Neither the staff nor the fire department appeared on behalf of or by request of the petitioners. The Committee made a deliberate effort to make sure everyone opposing had a chance to speak. Two people spoke from Trenton Place and two from Lakes at Umstead. Three people opposing the petition spoke and made their full statements, including many photos. No one was cut off. No one else offered to speak. The Committee members asked thoughtful questions about a full range of issues. Oppose the petition if you like, but please play fair.
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