BOARDMAN Officials consider parking change

Letters will be sent to affected residents in early March.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- Township officials are looking to change the parking regulations on several streets here, but they want residents' input before any changes are made.
Officials will be sending about 1,800 letters to residents on 18 township streets. The fire department has deemed those 18 streets dangerous for large firetrucks to travel when cars are parked along the road.
According to Jim McCreary, fire safety and prevention, firefighters and EMTs were en route to an emergency medical call on Beechwood Drive in early 2003 when they were stopped short of the call location because the emergency trucks could not get past parked cars. Two cars had parked across from each other on the street, leaving little room between.
According to fire department personnel, emergency workers were still close enough to the home to reach the individual quickly, but the department might not be as fortunate in the future.
A similar case in the latter part of 2003 gave officials more cause for concern, McCreary said.
Doing the math
"The normal street width is 24 feet wide. When you factor in a 7-foot-wide car on both sides, that is 14 feet of space taken up. A firetruck is 9 feet wide," he said.
McCreary compiled a list of streets that are less than 24 feet wide. Township officials, through public notice, began asking residents to comment on potential "no parking" restrictions on the streets. There have been only eight responses.
McCreary said the township has decided to try a more direct approach to reaching residents on the streets with the mailings. The letters will be sent Monday, and officials hope to have all responses by the end of March.
McCreary said most of those who have voiced an opinion on the potential restrictions have said there should be less parking along the streets.
Officials are hoping to limit all the streets to parking on one side of the road only. Most of the streets, said McCreary, would likely be limited to parking only on the side of the street that does not have fire hydrants.
jgoodwin@vindy.com