Parking Violators Spur Signage Effort By Village Pub

All Conor Hartnett wants to do is make sure customers have parking when they stop in to enjoy his comfortable tavern on Deer Park Ave., and a safe place to leave their car if they need to taxi home.

The owner of Mary Carroll's Irish Pub hoped that seven new signs adorning the pub's rear building façade and fencing would get drivers' attention that parking was just for patrons. But the only attention the signs appeared to have drawn so far was a letter to meet with the Babylon Village Architectural Review Board as the recent sign effort was done without board approval.

Hartnett appeared at the board's monthly meeting at village hall last week and, in an amicable and collaborative discussion, explained the reasons for the new signs and the parking headaches he's facing.

"Parking is a real issue and I added the signs to spread out the message that the spaces are for customers," Harnett told the three board members in attendance, noting the sign work cost about $850. He also stressed that he wants his customers to have a no-tow safe place to leave cars if they need one. The signs adorning the fencing and building encourage patrons not to drink and drive and make arrangements with the bartender if they need to leave their car for the nght.

The three board members, led by chairman Phil Franke, were sympathetic and extremely complimentary about the new sign artistry, with one board member claiming the signs are likely the nicest looking ones in the village.

The problem, said Franke, is there are just a few too many. The additional seven signs brings the total to nine in the lot behind Mary Carroll's.

"These are great signs, and very nice as parking signs, but just too many. It's overload," Franke told Harnett, noting with a smile that Mary Carroll's may have broken the record in terms of signs put in place by one business.

The issue, said Franke, is that the board doesn't want to set a precedent in which so many signs would be allowed as it could ignite a visual blight in parking areas behind the many village businesses.

"Our responsibility is the visual impact. You do a great job and you're a great business owner," Franke said.

The discussion focused on reducing the number of signs and possible relocation of one or two, with Franke telling Hartnett the board would let the issue "percolate" before making any final decisions.

Hartnett, who has owned the bar for 13 years, was receptive to the feedback and said his efforts were just aimed at trying to make sure patrons were able to use the bar's spaces.

"I've got commuters parking there all day and others who aren't customers. The signs say the cars will be towed but I don't want to do that. I just want the parking available to customers and for them to have a place to leave their car if they've had too much too drink," Hartnett told Patch.