FARRELL Council to pass law on parking

City officials said they expect to hear complaints.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
FARRELL, Pa. -- There were complaints about a proposed parking ban at certain intersections in the city before city council even got a chance to vote on making the changes.
City officials said they are banning parking in certain areas at the request of Police Chief Riley Smoot, who has pinpointed about a dozen intersections where people have been parking too close to corners and on both sides of the street, making it difficult for emergency vehicles to get through.
James Callahan, representing Twin City Elks Lodge 187 at 301 Staunton St., asked council Monday about the need to ban parking for 100 feet from the corner of Staunton Street and Lee Avenue.
He said he was told the ban would apply to both sides of both streets.
Mayor William Morocco said the proposed ordinance would ban parking only on two of the four corners, not all four, pointing out that police feel it is a traffic safety issue.
If cars are parked illegally, they could just be tagged, Callahan said.
Morocco said that doesn't solve the problem because the cars will still be sitting there.
The Elks Club isn't the only business affected. There are others along Roemer Boulevard and a number of churches that will be affected as well, said Councilman Robert Burich.
"We're going to get complaints," Councilman Lou Falconi said.
There are problems for people trying to pull out of side streets onto Romer Boulevard and other roads that can't see a safe, clear distance because of cars parked along the curb, officials said.
Council voted to introduce the ordinance and it will require a second reading before it becomes law.
Morocco said the city won't hasten to enforce the ban but will try to give people a chance to adjust to the change.
What's involved
In addition to addressing intersection issues, the ordinance bans all parking on the north side of Roemer Boulevard from Mercer Avenue to Shenango Boulevard in front of the Farrell Area School District complex between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. any day that school is in session.
It also bans all parking at any hour on the north side on Roemer from Mercer Avenue west for a distance of 100 feet, although that distance may be expanded before final passage.
Intersection bans include:
U100 feet from all four corners of Roemer and Stambaugh Avenue.
U100 feet from all four corners of Roemer and Pennsylvania Avenue.
URoemer, 100 feet from the northwest corner of Beechwood Avenue.
UBeechwood, 100 feet from the northeast and northwest corners of Roemer.
URoemer, 100 feet from the southwest corner of Emerson Avenue.
URoemer, 100 feet from the northeast and northwest corners of Hamilton Avenue.
UHamilton, 100 feet from the northwest corner of Roemer.
URoemer, 100 feet from the northwest corner of Darr Avenue.
URoemer, 100 feet from the southeast and southwest corners of Lee Avenue.
ULee, 100 feet from the northeast and northwest corners of Wallis Avenue.
UIdaho Street, 100 feet from the northwest corner of Hamilton Avenue.
UIdaho, 100 feet from the southwest and northwest corners of Beechwood.
UStaunton Street, 100 feet from the southeast corner of Lee.
ULee, 100 feet from the southeast corner of Staunton.