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Residents ask Pondera County to restrict parking during tournaments after narrow‑road safety incidents
Summary
Residents near the baseball complex told the Pondera County Commission that large tournaments have left Granite Road reduced to one lane because campers and vehicles park on both sides, creating blocked sight lines and concerns about emergency access.
Residents who live on Granite and Spur roads told the Pondera County Commission during the public‑comment period that oversized tournaments at the ball complex near the corner of Iowa and Granite have repeatedly reduced the county road to a single lane and created a safety hazard for drivers, pedestrians and emergency vehicles.
The speaker, representing several nearby households including Homer and Mary Gerard, Terry and Connie Dietrich, and Tony and Agnes Fowler, described prior incidents when campers and vehicles parked on both sides of Granite Road blocked sight lines at the complex entrances and left only a single lane of travel. "Our concern is not only for us getting in and out, but for emergency traffic," the resident said. They recounted an incident in which drivers were unable to enter or exit because the roadside parking blocked both entries to the complex.
Residents asked the commission to coordinate with the city, the Pondera Recreation Association and tournament organizers (Tri City Cardinals) to require parking on only one side of the road during events, to identify alternative parking areas such as a high‑school tennis lot or shooting‑sports parking with hookups, and to consider temporary enforcement measures for tournament weekends. The speaker suggested sending written instructions to visiting teams — similar to swim‑meet notification practices — that designate where campers and vehicles may park.
Commissioners and staff noted city vs. county jurisdiction questions: the city had authorized the tournament but told residents the road is a county road and therefore outside city maintenance jurisdiction. County staff said enforcement or permanent parking restrictions would require coordination and possibly survey work to determine the county right-of-way and whether angle parking or fence removal could create space for designated parking.
The county agreed to follow up with city officials, the sheriff’s office and event organizers to explore short‑term and longer‑term options, and commissioners asked staff to keep the residents informed. The resident left contact information for follow‑up.
Ending: Residents urged faster, proactive measures before another incident occurs during the June tournament weekend. County staff said temporary signage and coordination with event organizers could be explored before the next scheduled events.
