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Charlestown council approves parking ordinance on first reading, seeks structured public feedback
Summary
The Charlestown City Council voted Jan. 5 to pass a citywide parking ordinance on first reading and directed staff to publish an Exhibit A street-by-street parking list and collect public comments via a JotForm for review before second reading.
The Charlestown City Council voted Jan. 5 to pass a parking ordinance on first reading and asked staff to collect structured public feedback on a street-by-street draft before the ordinance returns for final consideration.
Mayor Hottis told the council the ordinance consolidates existing parking rules (no parking on lawns, near hydrants or crosswalks) and adds an Exhibit A listing which side of each street will permit parking. He said staff and public works personnel had spent roughly three years surveying about 50 miles of city streets to identify locations where two-sided parking impedes emergency and service vehicles.
A council member who led the outreach discussion said, “Social media is not the fix for anything,” and urged the council to use social channels only to publicize the draft. The mayor recommended publishing the proposed list and using a JotForm so comments would be collected in a single spreadsheet for staff review. "In order to have your voice heard, you must put it on the [JotForm]," the mayor said, stressing the need for organized input rather than relying on Facebook comments.
Council members discussed typical considerations used to create the list, including mismatched fire hydrant placement, roadway width, presence of driveways and business loading zones. The mayor said the ordinance includes fines and penalties and confirmed that enforcement would be possible once the ordinance is adopted.
The motion to pass the ordinance on first reading was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote with council members responding "aye." The council directed staff to publish the Exhibit A, solicit feedback by a deadline to be set before the next meeting, and return a summary and any recommended adjustments ahead of the second and final reading.
Next steps: staff will publish the proposed street list, collect and compile public responses, and present a report to council in advance of the next meeting when the ordinance will be considered for final adoption.
