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Date: 10/26/2022
WEST SPRINGFIELD – The Town Council approved a rules change at its Oct. 17 meeting that allows for one-hour parking on a section of Hanover Street, a move that a number of residents on that street opposed.
As explained by Councilor Michael Eger, the new rule is designed to encourage people who park on the street for local businesses to park in an area of the street that won’t affect residents. Eger represents District 1, which includes houses on the west side of Hanover Street.
“The thought was by adding legal parking, people would park further from the homes,” said Eger.
Several residents who spoke at the meeting disagreed with that assumption. They told the council the street is not wide enough for parking on both sides, a condition made worse in the winter with plowing.
The councilors were told that now motorists do not park where they should, and there is little to no enforcement of parking laws.
One resident said she called the police about the illegal parking, but “they didn’t even write a ticket.”
Another resident spoke of trucks being parked all day on the street.
The councilors and the residents all stressed the two businesses in the area not responsible for the parking issues.
What makes matters worse is that some drivers ignore the fact that Hanover is a one-way street, and after shopping go the wrong way on Hanover to return to Park Street.
District 3 Councilor Anthony DiStefano, who represents the other half of Hanover Street, said the concerns form the neighbors could be addressed by having more police patrols on Hanover Steet. Eger said the greatest problems are after 6 p.m. Councilor Sean Powers suggested the speed humps may be a way to control traffic on the street.
All councilors voted in favor of the motion except Council President Edward Sullivan.
Powers told his colleagues that the zoning ordinance changes about home-based business will be discussed at the Nov. 7 meeting of the council. Powers said the subcommittee has had a “pretty healthy discussion” about the changes that could affect people who do their business from their homes.
In other action, the council approved $2,500 in community preservation funds to repair the fence at the Part Street Cemetery.
Sullivan made several announcements, including that on Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. there will be a meeting for interested residents to join a committee to plan the city’s 250th anniversary celebrations in 2024.
The meeting will be in the council chambers at Town Hall, 26 Central St., West Springfield.