Friday, July 14, 2017

Grid Control, Vol. 14: Yes, you can still park on the south side of Spring Street during the stalled two-way grid project.


An informative public service message originally posted to the New Albany Indiana group page at Fb by Randy Smith, followed by background from previous blog posts.

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First, a deep breath. The parking spaces shown in front of Destinations Booksellers and Taco Steve are fully available for your use when visiting. This was confirmed to me by the city's parking enforcement officer, though we've had no problems.

We also have parking at the rear of our building as all businesses in this zoning are required to do.

Our neighbor across the street is feeling a pinch and some of his customers say they can't do business with him because of limited parking. I won't get into a debate on the validity of that.

In the interest of being a good neighbor and keeping this temporary situation at the lowest heat, let me say this

All of the marked parking spaces on Spring are public spaces available to the first who need them. But, if you are visiting us, don't be deterred by the orange cones. Even if the cones seem to say "don't," neither we nor the city enforcement officers consider those parking spaces off limits. Parking on the south side will alleviate a temporary crunch perceived by some on the north side. Thanks. 

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As for the background, we've often remarked in this space that while the city of New Albany consciously refrains from enforcing its own parking ordinances "downtown," it refuses to define "downtown" or the geographical parameters of its non-enforcement, as with the idiocy of street sweeping blockage citations.


Here's what I did to beat the "blocking street sweeper" citation scam. Why should anyone pay?


When enforcement of ordinances is purposefully random, how can there be penalties against those cited randomly?

Somewhat along these lines, on October 25, 2016 we considered the implications of self-striping on the northeast corner of Spring & 6th.

ASK THE BORED: With this amazing new invention, you can stripe your own parking spaces!

Last week, it was revealed that if the city has put as much thought into Breakwater parking as it did the water park, we're in for yet another purely dysfunctional treat.

In short, the dental office owner at this corner decided to paint his own parking spaces on public property, leading us to surmise that if he might do so without penalty, we also were free to begin painting crosswalks wherever we wished -- on public property.

What happened next between the city and the doctor is unclear, although there seems to have been a resolution of sorts. The most recent public record can be found in Board of Public Works and Safety minutes from May 30, 2017. Note that in this context, "business parking" refers specifically to the north (westbound) side of the block in question (see wheels, squeaky).

5. Shane Gibson re: Business parking in the 600 block of E. Spring Street

Mr. Gibson stated that he has gone out there several times because of concerns of some local businesses with regards to the new apartment complex. He explained that he met with them a few times and came to a consensus to replace the “two hour parking” signs with three “business parking only from 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.” on the westbound side of E. Spring Street for one year just to see how that works since we are doing the grid modernization and the two-way. He told them it would just be on a trial basis to see if we are facing any potential issues or problems. He added that he would like to do it for one year to see how it goes.

Mr. Nash asked how many spaces it would be.

Mr. Gibson replied that it would be from the alley to 6th Street.

Mrs. Cotner-Bailey moved to approve replacing the “two hour parking” signs with three “business parking only from 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.” on the westbound side in the 600 block of E. Spring Street for a one year trial period, Mr. Thompson second, motion carries.

Apparently there never was a penalty for the brick-painting, and we can surmise that the signage referencing "business parking" (is this a precedent, Shane?) awaits the completion of two-way grid modernization.

We return to Randy's public service announcement. Customers of businesses on the south side of Spring should not hesitate to cross through the demarcation line of orange traffic pylons in order to park and transact business there. 

Thanks to Randy for trying to communicate with the public amid City Hall's perpetual failure to even pretend to try.

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Previously:

Grid Control, Vol. 13: "Dear Deaf Gahan and minions: FOR THE LOVE OF PETE, STOP TRYING TO BE COOL AND DESIGNER-ISH. YOU'RE NOT, AND IT'S EMBARRASSING ALL OF US."

Grid Control, Vol. 12: Meet the artistic crosswalk design equivalent of dogs playing poker.

Grid Control, Vol. 11: HWC Engineering meets with St. Marks, city officials nowhere to be found.

Grid Control, Vol. 10: City officials predictably AWOL as HWC Engineering falls on its sword over striping errors.

Grid Control, Vol. 9: "This was supposed to be discussed with us," but Dear Leader doesn't ever discuss, does he?

Grid Control, Vol. 8: City Hall characteristically mum as HWC Engineering at least tries to answer the cross-hatching question.

Grid Control, Vol. 7: What will the Board of Works do to rectify HWC's striping errors on the north side of Spring Street, apart from microwaving another round of sausage biscuits?


Grid Control, Vol. 6: Jeff Speck tweets about NA's grid changes, and those missed bicycling opportunities.


Grid Control, Vol. 5: Egg on HWC Engineering's well-compensated face as it botches Spring Street's westbound bike buffer cross hatching.


Grid Control, Vol. 4: But this actually isn't a bus lane, is it?


Grid Control, Vol. 3: TARC's taking your curbside church parking, says City Hall.


Grid Control, Vol. 2: Southsiders get six more parking inches, but you gotta love those 10-foot traffic lanes on Spring.


Grid Control, Vol. 1: You people drive so freaking horribly that someone's going to die at Spring and 10th.

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