Town council approves temporary no-parking on Meadowood Drive for Halloween after split vote

The Speedway Town Council voted 3-2 on Oct. 27 to ban parking on the north side of Meadowood Drive from Lenhurst to Parkwood between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31, a span that overlaps local trick-or-treat hours.

Council members said the restriction is intended to improve sight lines and reduce the risk of children darting between parked cars. Town manager Grant Kleinheinz asked the council to approve “no parking only on the North Side of Meadowood Drive from Lenhurst to Parkwood from 5PM to 9PM” and said signs would be posted to notify residents.

The vote followed more than 30 minutes of discussion in which members weighed safety against convenience for residents already affected by nearby construction on 20 Fifth Street. Several councilors suggested adding police officers to the area during the two-hour trick-or-treat window — and possibly at both ends of the street — to manage traffic flow. Others argued that parked cars on both sides naturally slow traffic and could be safer than opening one lane.

Councilor Sarah Gardner said an officer presence should be requested in addition to any parking restriction, noting the town’s recent construction-related traffic changes. Councilor Jason Delisle and others expressed concern that restricting parking could create unintended congestion for residents. Councilor Vincent Noblett said police enforcement of speed limits is key regardless of the parking decision.

Grant Kleinheinz told the council that signs would be installed, and that the police department would be asked to provide officers for the event; he said the department could remove the restriction if it proved to cause more problems than it solved.

The motion approved the temporary parking restriction for Oct. 31, 5–9 p.m. The council recorded the outcome as a 3–2 vote in favor; the transcript does not list individual roll-call votes by name.