Narberth committee backs parking changes, directs public works to explore alternatives for Stephanie Place and fixes Price Avenue pilot

The Narberth Borough Public Safety Committee on Dec. 14 considered multiple resident petitions and pilot results affecting on-street parking and traffic-calming on several small borough blocks and issued three recommendations for council consideration.

On a petition to remove the two-hour parking limit on the 200 block of Chestnut Avenue and on South Essex between Woodside and Chestnut — where there are no street addresses and the council can act without an additional petition — staff described a proposed three-month trial that would cover the signs, followed by a review. The committee chair announced the recommendation to remove the two-hour restriction and recorded the committee vote in favor.

On a separate petition to add a parking restriction on Stephanie Place, public works presented a five-day utilization study showing peak occupancy levels about 40% and an average near 37%; staff noted a nearby construction project had driven many of the observed parking events. Multiple residents described blocked driveways and safety inconveniences. The committee amended the petition outcome and directed public works to explore alternatives such as posted no-parking markings, corner restrictions or painted/posted driveway triangles and to consult residents; members carried a recommendation to add the restriction or a council-level action to address the problem (the transcript’s numeric tally for that motion is not clear).

On Price Avenue, the committee reviewed a multi-month pilot installing driveway 'triangles' intended to improve sight lines and egress on the 200 block. Several residents who called or attended said the triangles helped some households and improved safety for children; others argued the triangles shifted parking pressure to adjacent driveways and that the pilot’s success depended on enforcement. One resident, Greg Fisher, urged enforcement and speed-calming: “I think the council should be well advised to consider those as options,” he said, listing speed bumps and enforcement. Staff noted that older speed-sampling (Jan. 2023) showed no enforceable speeding violations in a sampled week but said they would collect updated data. The committee voted to recommend making the original striping/triangle plan permanent and asked staff to draft an ordinance to formalize the change.

Committee members also discussed municipal long-term parking permits and whether to revisit meter enforcement and business impacts; that item was tabled for further work and likely return in January.

Next steps: public works will explore and return with alternatives for Stephanie Place, staff will prepare draft ordinance language and signage for any permanent Price Avenue changes, and the council will see committee recommendations at a future meeting.