The following is an ‘Ask The Mayor’ question submitted to TLS, and the Mayor’s response. Email your questions for the Mayor to AskTheMayor@thelakewoodscoop.com.
Question:
Hi Mayor Coles,
I work in residential areas and have been finding that people have been putting out orange cones on their block to stop non-residents from parking on public street spots on their regular residential blocks that allow for regular parking on both sides of the street.
Is this legal? This is not necessarily in front of mailboxes or garbage bins (where parking on certain days or times can cause residents to miss pick up or mail delivery), just people who don’t like when both sides of the street are full of cars.
In fact, when I recently pulled in to the one spot not blocked by an orange cone, a neighbor came out and demanded I park a block over, refusing to leave until I pulled out. Is there something I can do about this or can I just move the cones, ignore her and park there anyway?
Response from Mayor Coles:
Good afternoon,
Sorry for the delay responding to this. Residents are not allowed to reserve spots or prevent parking with cones. If you let me know the street involved, the PD will remove the cones. I don’t recommend getting into a confrontation with anyone about this.
Ray
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If this was on the block of a Shul or hall, while I do not condone it and understand it is illegal, I would not blame them.
As someone living across from a Shul that was small and expanded tremendously without making a proper parking lot, it can get very very difficult to drive down the block, pull out of a driveway safety due to the traffic and lack of courtesy, as well as safety from cars parking too close to the driveways. Please do have consideration in such situations for the local residents.
Maybe the topic should also be addressed, why are so many parking variances given, let’s face the facts, while land is expensive and no one can afford to make large parking lots, the situation around lots of shuls is downright dangerous. Yeah yeah, I know what everyone will say, if you don’t like it don’t move there. First, I’m talkin about the safety. Second, there is lack of respect for the neighbors. Lastly, we’re talking about people who moved before the shul was built.
I, too, live across the street from a shul that was not there when I moved in. Before the shul, with its social hall, went up, I was not consulted. Now, I have to deal with the extra traffic, my mail box being blocked, difficulty getting out of my driveway, and all the other inconveniences of having a shul nearby. On more than one occasion, when I put out my garbage cans or bulk pick-up, I saw drivers get out of their car, move my full garbage can or bulk items so that he could use the spot, and then drive off when he was done, without putting the removed items back in its proper place. As a result, my garbage was not picked up. I can understand the frustration!
In regards to shuls it is not that variances are given, the regular requirements are not adequate to begin with.
many residents simply put out cones near their driveways as to prevent inconsiderate people from hugging their driveways and obstructing their view( not everyone has backup cameras). So legal or not, one should not park too close to someone’s driveway; nothing wrong if a resident is just ensuring that he can get in/out safely.
The township can institute a “parking by resident permit only” in areas where shuls are being built with inadequate parking
To Parking Permit
I couldn’t agree more! As much as I love living near a Shul I still think that a Reserved spot would be a great help while not hindering the Shul goers that much…