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Committee hears push for 'elective neighborhood parking' in Uptown as residents cite blocked driveways and trash
Summary
Residents and Uptown Community Association leaders asked the council to approve an elective neighborhood parking permit for blocks near Uptown Flats after years of parking overflow from the apartments. The committee heard requests for decals for single-family residents, towing enforcement and flexibility for visitor permits.
Council members and residents heard a presentation on March 18 about a proposed elective neighborhood parking permit for Uptown, where homeowners say on-street parking has been overtaken by apartment tenants and visitors from a nearby large complex.
Tandra Mitchell, a Uptown resident and presenter for the Uptown Community Association, told the Public Works committee: "We're coming to you this morning asking, for an ordinance to establish an elective neighborhood parking program permit in Uptown." She said the Uptown Flats development provides on-site parking but that tenants and visitors regularly park on the opposite side of the street, blocking driveways and mailboxes.
The nut graf: proponents said the measure would issue decals to single-family homeowners, limit on-street parking for nonpermit holders with tow signage and provide a short-term tool to preserve curb access while the city develops longer-term parking and development rules.
Presenters described the proposed mechanics: a city-issued decal system with up to two permits per single-family household, signage warning nonpermit vehicles that they are subject to towing, and an assessment fee for participating residents. Mike Belen of the Division of Engineering said the plan envisions issuing decals and allowing residents to allocate them to visitors. Council members pressed for clarity on guest permits, enforcement, and whether property managers could obtain permits for tenants — presenters said tenants who were not on a lease would not qualify for a residential decal under the draft program.
Council members suggested changes before adoption: clearer procedures for requesting extra guest permits, stronger towing and enforcement language for blocked driveways and inoperable vehicles, and notification to surrounding neighborhoods. Several members framed the ordinance as a short-term fix while the city updates development rules and parking requirements for new apartment projects. Supporters noted a letter of support from Elmington Capital, the apartment owner, and said outreach has been ongoing.
The committee did not take a final vote March 18; presenters said the ordinance was on a track for second reading at the next meeting and asked members to cosponsor and refine details. Proponents asked staff to return with detailed permit and enforcement workflows and answers on how decal issuance will handle multi-vehicle households and long-term abandoned vehicles.
Ending: Council members urged additional community meetings and requested follow-up language on guest permits and enforcement; staff and the Uptown group agreed to return with more detailed procedures and an implementation plan.
