Residents Object To Proposed Traffic Ordinance Change For Perna Lane

GREENWICH, CT — Residents on Perna Lane in Riverside are pushing back against a proposed ordinance change that would take away street parking, saying that the parking is badly needed and any amendment could set a bad precedent for other streets around Greenwich.

On Thursday, Deputy Chief Kraig Gray of the Greenwich Police Department, who is also the director of parking services for the town, went before the Board of Selectmen with a proposed traffic ordinance change for Perna Lane.

"Over the years, the police department and parking services have received numerous complaints regarding vehicle safety on Perna Lane," Gray said. Complaints were focused on speeding vehicles and a line of sight issue, especially on the southern portion of the street where there is a curve in the roadway.

Parking services, in coordination with the Greenwich Department of Public Works, conducted a traffic study and issued proposed modifications.

During a field visit, DPW said several vehicles were parked along both sides of the roadway where pavement extended beyond the original roadway edge. Due to the lack of roadway width, most cars were parked within the travel lane causing vehicles to maneuver into the opposite travel way to bypass the parked vehicles.

"Obstacles such as parked cars within the travel way of a roadway become hazards to other vehicles," DPW said, noting that the roadway "does not meet the requirement for parking on either side of the road."

The study, along with diagrams, can be found in the board of selectmen agenda.

Under the proposed change, parking would be restricted from parcel 10 to parcel 20 on the west side of the street. Signage would be put up on the east side of Perna Lane saying "no parking on this side of the street."

Additionally, since the roadway lacks 400 feet of double yellow line striping midway through the lane due to limited roadway width, the double yellow would be connected for the remaining 400 feet to prevent drifting into the opposite travel way.

Several residents spoke against the proposed change.

Marilyn Corzo, who has lived on Perna Lane for 30 years, said she has never seen an accident or an issue caused by street parking. She presented photos to the board that show drivers have ample space to pass by parked cars without having to cross the double yellow line.

"If the drivers cross the double yellow line, that's their conscious choice to do that. That's not based on my parked car," she said.

She said the current traffic ordinance for the roadway has remained unchanged since it was put in place in 1953.

"Why is street parking so important? We've had it our entire lives. Parked cars act as friction points and buffers that slow speeding drivers who use our street as a racetrack to cut through to get to I-95 or backcountry," she said, recommending Sheep Hill Road or Sound Beach Avenue Extension as cut-throughs.

Street parking is vital for elderly residents, who park there instead of in their steep driveways because it's easier to access the front of their house, Corzo explained. During holidays, she asked where family members will park when they visit?

Corzo suggested installing speed bumps, or signage that designates the road for locals only. A more drastic measure could be turning Perna Lane into a dead end street as it was in the 1960's.

"Who will the town target next?" she said, noting that every street in town could face similar changes, and that nearby Wescott and Hoover Street have the same issues. "How much more of our time and tax money will be needlessly spent to audit these streets? We're hardworking people. We just want to park our cars on the street."

The board didn't take any action on the proposed change, and will revisit the item for a second read in two weeks.

First Selectman Fred Camillo said he's familiar with Perna Lane, having grown up in town. He mentioned the town could slow down the traffic there in other ways.

"I have serious concerns about this," he said of the proposed ordinance change. "This could set a precedent, and every road including my own, we would probably have an issue where you couldn't have anyone over at your house. I think that would be a bit of a discriminatory policy to have for neighborhoods that don't have a lot of land for off-street parking."

Kathleen Willsey, another resident of Perna Lane, said her 98-year-old mother still lives on the street.

"She has caregivers that sometimes come in, and we need the parking in front of our house," she said. "I have not seen an accident since I've lived there, and I've lived there 70 years."

Bob Mazza, another resident, said safety for children is of the utmost importance, especially since busing isn't provided on Perna Lane and some children walk to school.

"We all recognize that this proposed solution is not it, but I also think that leaving things as is is not the solution as well. We're one of the few streets in the area that does not have sidewalks. We have 25-plus children on the street that do not get provided busing to every school," he said. "There's a lot of issues here."