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Troutman: Parking dispute in HOA's hands, for now
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Published: September 11, 2009
Thursday night's Troutman Board of Aldermen meeting produced two rare tie votes that had to be broken by Mayor Elbert Richardson.
The most contentious of these concerned an ordinance the board passed at its August meeting that banned the parking of all non-passenger vehicles on the streets of a development called Barium Seasons Village.
Citing safety issues, residents of the development asked the board to pass the ordinance last month as a way of getting boats and campers from being parked on the streets there. Those promoting the ordinance said Barium Seasons Village is home to a large number of young children and the boats and campers made it difficult to maneuver.
But the board allowed the matter to be revisited at this month's meeting because a number of residents said it was unnecessary and ambiguous.
Resident Mike Edwards referenced a study conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics that said street parking restrictions were only necessary as a safety device in neighborhoods that also contained schools.
He also said the matter may have been a case of overkill.
"This whole thing involves two boats and a camper," he said.
Resident Stewart Hicks said the ordinance "basically says I can't have my boat on my property."
Speaking earlier in the meeting in defense of the ordinance, Barium Seasons Village resident David Bramigk attempted to defuse some of the opposition's argument that the law was not worded specifically enough.
He said the ordinance, if interpreted broadly, could also be used to ban delivery vans and other commercial vehicles from parking on the streets.
"Some folks are worried about the letter of the law," Bramigk said. "But most understand the spirit of the law."
And that, Bramigk said, was to make the neighborhood safer. He said he was involved in "at least three near-collisions" because of boats blocking the roadway.
"Your decision, in citing the matter of safety, was the right thing to do," Bramigk said.
During the board's debate of the matter, Alderwoman Jenny Blevins asked Troutman Police Chief Matthew Selves if he was aware of any accidents in the town ever being caused by parked recreation vehicles or boats and Selves said he was not.
Alderman Mike Spath said the matter of the ban impacting delivery and commercial vehicles was a nonstarter because commerce laws allowing them to conduct their business would have precedence over a town ordinance.
Richardson said the matter boiled down to the neighborhood having "internal issues that the town cannot resolve."
A motion was made by Alderwoman Amanda Weiser to allow the Barium Season Village homeowner's association to find some common ground and present it at the October Board of Aldermen meeting. The board would then vote on the matter at its November meeting.
That vote attracted the support of only one other board member, Alderwoman Betty Jean Troutman. With Alderman Scott Feimster absent, Richardson was forced to break the 2-2 tie in support of Weiser's motion.
The other 2-2 tie Thursday night involved a request to temporarily repeal the town's ban on banner signs. In that case, Richardson voted against the repeal.
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