A Wauwatosa aldermanic committee voted 6-1 on Tuesday to prohibit parking on the north side of West Gilbert Avenue from 116th Street to 113th Street, making a temporary restriction permanent after weeks of heavy use following the May opening of Firefly Grove Park.

Committee members said the action was aimed at preserving two-way traffic and emergency access on a stretch where park visitors had parked on both sides of the road. The committee adopted the change after extended public comment from neighbors who said the street frequently fills with vehicles during peak park hours.

The change matters to nearby residents because several told the committee parked cars had blocked sight lines and driveways and slowed emergency response. "It literally takes me over 10 minutes to get out of my driveway on a Saturday and Sunday," said Janelle Habakk, who lives at 11510 West Gilbert Avenue. Volunteer firefighter Ken Lynn, a neighborhood resident, said he had observed that a full curb-to-curb parking pattern would impede emergency equipment and urged a permanent restriction.

Mike May of the city's engineering department told the committee crews had placed temporary no-parking stakes after the park opened and that staff have been monitoring traffic and parking patterns. May said preliminary monitoring near the park showed average speeds down 8 percent and instances of excessive speeding down 55 percent, and that staff would continue to track how parking restrictions shift demand onto nearby streets.

Alderman Brandon moved to make the no-parking stretch permanent; Alder Foley seconded the motion. The committee approved the measure 6-1 on a roll call vote: Alders Foley, Meindl, Morgan, Champine, Brandon and Dolan voted yes; Alder Lewis voted no.

Residents who spoke at the hearing urged the city to pair the street restriction with clearer wayfinding to other park entrances and more enforcement for illegal parking. Several residents asked the city to direct visitors to the Walnut Street park entrance and to study whether additional parking or signage is needed to absorb overflow from event nights.

City staff said they will continue monitoring parking and traffic and can propose further measures if the restrictions shift congestion to adjacent residential streets.

The committee's vote follows repeated public complaints since the park opened, including reports of mail delivery disruptions, blocked driveways and litter along curbs. City staff emphasized the vote was meant to address immediate safety and access concerns rather than to resolve longer-term parking distribution for the park, which staff said they will continue to study.