This morning I received an email from a couple who live just south east of campus. They expressed some frustration at the parking situation and the lack of enforcement. I thought I'd share my response here:(William),
Thank you for taking the time
to contact me. You know, in the past I think Provo has done a lot of studies for this or
that but never taken action. And so I wonder if they are really worth the
time and money if nothing is ever going to be done. However, I do believe
there is one study I would push for immediately upon being elected. And
that is a city-wide comprehensive parking study(!).
When I served on the planning
commission the one absolute issue I could always count on being raised by the
neighborhood chairs when a new development came before us was parking. I
remember as a new member of the Commission turning to the city staff and saying
surely we've done a study or we have some data regarding parking. What
does the data actually say? What are the facts? And the staffer turned to
me and shrugged his shoulders and said they've never done one. I was
shocked. As much time, inconvenience, hassle, you name it and any other number
of problems parking has caused - Provo for whatever reason has never seriously
taken on this issue and resolved it.
I believe parking is a problem
with a solution.
I don't have all the
answers. And that's why I would like to start with the facts (a
study). I do understand to a good degree how we got here - family housing
originally being proposed then whether a developer doing a last minute switch,
or over time through zoning changes, lack of enforcement, whatever it may be
parking has come to the point where a property owner can no longer expect to be
able to park in front of their own home.
I spoke to a neighborhood chair
just last night about this and he had some good ideas that I think are worth
considering - removing the park strips in some areas and putting in diagonal
parking, incorporating a parking permit for public streets that would allow you
enough spots for your property frontage - visitor parking would then go to
corner lots, where those owners would only get half of their street frontage
(they could get the front or side of their property but not both).
To your point on enforcement. As John Adams said - we are a
nation of laws. I'm generally a small government minded person but when a
law is passed I believe we are obligated to follow it. If we don't agree
with it then we should work through the proper process to have it changed, but
once passed as a community we need to obey and honor the law. The problem
with enforcement now is that it is spotty. Enforcement seems to only
happen when a complaint is made. And I believe the penalties are often
too lax so the violator can simply pay the fine, thumb their nose at the city,
and business goes on as usual without any real change. So we need
consistent and fair enforcement but with incentives (appropriate penalties) for
property owners to comply with the law.
Those are just a couple of
ideas. I am certainly concerned and sympathetic to your situation. I
believe a good idea can come from anywhere if we are open-minded enough.
I would welcome any additional thoughts or ideas you have on this issue - as
well as your reaction to some of the ideas I've suggested here.
Thanks again for taking the
time to reach out. I really appreciate the opportunity to share my
thoughts with you and your wife.
Sincerely,
Ryan
Ryan
