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Council hears Wallace Street parking changes, approves first reading to clarify 15‑minute and metered spaces
Summary
After a public hearing and committee review, the Beverly City Council approved a first reading to amend downtown parking rules on Wallace Street to clarify 15‑minute parking and extend metered parking between Park and Rantoul streets; councilors cited safety and pedestrian obstruction concerns as the rationale.
The Beverly City Council held a public hearing and approved a first reading on June 2 to amend downtown parking rules for Wallace Street to clarify 15‑minute parking and to designate a block as metered.
Councilor Spang introduced the ordinance change (order 169) after residents raised concerns about vehicles parking on sidewalks and blocking narrow sections of Wallace Street near the theater district. Spang said vehicles sometimes parked partially on sidewalks or impeded traffic and emergency response access, and the filing was intended to clarify that parking should be limited to the right side of the street in the affected block and to match posted meters on the block of Wallace between Park Street and Rantoul Street.
Councilor Sweeney said the proposal was driven by resident complaints and by a need to manage turnover for a nearby business; Councilor St. Hilaire asked whether any affected businesses had been contacted and was told the filing targeted the street configuration and safety issues rather than one tenant. Councilor Stein noted related walk audits and feedback from Ward 2 residents.
No members of the public appeared to testify at the hearing. The legal affairs committee recommended the amended ordinance for first reading; the council voted 9‑0 to approve the first reading and will take a second and final vote at a subsequent meeting after required publication and completion of the ordinance process.
