Council debates no‑parking request at Turner Trace; staff say town enforcement is a last resort

Council members discussed a Turner Trace homeowners association request to prohibit parking on Governors Row, Turner Trace Place North and Cambridge Way after a resident representative met with staff to raise safety and access concerns. Staff described the issue as a recurring neighborhood problem and said the HOA first should pursue covenant enforcement where feasible.

Public works staff told council that town code requires a parking ordinance and appropriate signage before police can enforce a prohibition, and warned that full town enforcement would increase calls to an already understaffed police department. The presenter said, “if you want to prohibit parking, you have to pass a parking ordinance that has to be properly signed. At that point, the police department could do it.”

Council members and staff weighed alternatives including no parking on one side of the street, limited no‑parking zones near mailboxes and the traffic circle, and stronger HOA enforcement such as towing or warning notices. Staff said the town’s street standards include minimum widths for one‑or two‑side parking and recommended staff run a width‑based GIS analysis to identify streets that do not meet criteria for both‑side parking.

Fire and emergency access was a repeated concern. Councilmembers cited past incidents when emergency responders had limited access and said narrower streets with roadside parking could block apparatus. Staff said controllers will evaluate options and, if council desires, return with recommended criteria for when the town will consider prohibiting parking on residential streets. No ordinance or formal action was taken at the meeting.