Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parking Regulation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Fall River board adjusts parking hours, removes confusing sign and agrees to remove contested Sixth Street sign
Summary
The Traffic and Parking board approved changing a 1-hour time limit to 3-hour parking for a business, agreed to fix a leaning post, and voted to remove a contested time sign that Richard’s Auto Body said had been installed in front of its property; earlier a related request had been tabled.
The Fall River City Traffic and Parking board voted to change an existing 1-hour time parking sign to a 3-hour limit for a business and to remove a contested sign that Richard’s Auto Body argued was installed in front of its property.
Stephanie McArthur, director of traffic and parking, told the board the request to change the posted hours was simply an adjustment of the sign’s hours; measurements and other specifications will remain “the same measurements that are in ordinance.” McArthur said the change was requested to match the new business’s hours and that the traffic department received the request after a previous sign had been left over from the former business.
A nearby business owner, who identified the storefront as Sun China, told the board the placement of a second sign on a utility pole was confusing for drivers and customers. “It looked like there was 2 parking spots. It can be a little confusing. I just don't want my customers…irritate any of the, other companies in this 1,” the business owner said. The owner asked whether a separate standalone post could be used for clarity; McArthur said city rules prohibit adding a private business name to public parking signage and that signs on city posts cannot designate parking for a specific business.
Richard’s Auto Body and Painting at 44 Sixth Street was previously the subject of a motion to table. After staff described the maintenance crew’s placement of a missing sign and Richard’s Auto Body’s complaint that the sign sat in front of its curb cut, the board voted to rescind the sign placement. Motion to rescind the signage was made by John and seconded by Natalie; the board recorded no opposition.
Why it matters: The board’s action resolves a local business dispute over where on-street time-limited parking is measured and clarifies that signage changes follow the city’s traffic measurements and ordinance. Board members also requested staff repair or reposition a leaning sign post to reduce confusion.
The board approved changing the hours from 1 hour to 3 hours for the relevant sign and agreed to remove the contested sign until curb work or other engineering changes are completed; staff said business owners may petition for signage placement after engineering modifies curbing or parking layout.
