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Council approves permit parking for Delaware Street block after residents describe safety concerns
Summary
Responding to a resident petition and testimony about construction spillover and safety at a school bus stop, the City Council approved 24/7 permit parking for Delaware Street between 48th Place and 49th Avenue; council noted it can set enforcement hours and revisit adjacent blocks later.
After a public hearing on Oct. 21, the College Park City Council voted unanimously to implement residential permit parking on Delaware Street between 48th Place and 49th Avenue. The petition met the city's code requirement (66.6% of affected residents) and staff recommended council action.
Residents described frequent nonresident parking, double-parked cars and a safety hazard for school-bus pickup and drop-off. "They just park on our block and leave," said resident Larry Markhew, summarizing neighbors' frustration. Betsy Pugel, who lives on the block, told council that when cars crowd both sides of the street, "kids have to stand in the middle of the street," a condition neighbors said they want to avoid.
Parking Manager Jim Miller told council the petition complied with city code and that council has authority to set days/hours and permit allocations. Councilmembers discussed possible modifications to enforcement hours and acknowledged that adopting permit parking on this block could shift parking pressure to adjacent streets; several called for a more comprehensive look at parking in the neighborhood.
What happens next: Council approved the permit parking implementation (vote 8–0). Staff will return with details on hours, permit allocations and enforcement logistics; council members signaled openness to considering broader permit zoning options for nearby streets if spillover occurs.
