Town Council Reconsiders Narragansett Avenue Parking Restrictions

After much discussion last night, the Narragansett Town Council decided to reconsider new parking regulations for vehicles on Narragansett Avenue, voiding a previous decision.  

Council President Glenna M. Hagopian said she was concerned they were taking businesses too much into account in their decision and should be sticking to the objective of allowing residents to park with permits on town streets.

President Pro Tem David J. Crook, Sr. agreed with Hagopian.

“This has gotten far, far away from where we started,” Crook said.

Several business owners spoke out about parking problems in town, saying their businesses are hurting because of the parking issues on Narragansett Avenue.

“The lack of parking is effecting my business,” said Gina Raheb, owner of Natural Fitness. “If someone can only park for one hour but my yoga class goes for an hour and half, what are they supposed to do when they come outside and find a ticket?”

Salina Lloyd, owner of the Grinnell Inn agreed.

“I can’t fit my customers, guests and employees all in my parking lot,” Lloyd said. “I have gotten a petition going with my neighbors to have two-hour parking extended throughout the street.”

Due to misunderstandings and changes that members wish to make, the proposal, which the Town Council originally passed on June 20, was voided and will be rewritten. The parking signs that went up on June 30 will be removed and any parking violations imposed since the new signs went up will be revoked.

With a unanimous vote, the council approved a motion to impose parking restrictions and regulations for the Scarborough Hills area in which parking would be banned on one side of the street, and the other side would be for permit only from May 15 through Sept. 15. Town Manager Grady Miller told the council that signs stating “Beach Parking Prohibited” would be at the entrances to the neighborhoods.

Narragansett resident Rose-Ella Reynolds spoke out in regards to the new regulation, sayng the parking problem extends beyond where the signs will be placed.

“So far, it’s nearly impossible to get through the streets in some areas,” Reynolds said. “People will just start parking farther up in some of the neighborhoods by Sewell Road.”

In other business, the council unanimously approved a first reading of an amendment to the town noise ordinance stating the exact decibels of noise permitted at any given hour and exactly where the noise can be measured from.

Town Solicitor Mark A. McSally explained to the audience and council members that the new fines would be $400 for the first noise offense and $500 for the second offense. Depending how many leases are on the house, it could be more than one fine per house.

Miller clarified that the amendment has nothing to do with the motorcycle noise that several residents had spoken of during the open forum session at the beginning of the meeting.

Finally, the council passed a proposal to create a Economic Development and Marking Coordinator position with an annual salary of $50,000, with a vote of 3 to 2. Crook and Hagopian opposed the position.

Crook said he believed it was a good idea, but at this point he doesn’t think they can afford to pay the salary.

Councilman Christopher Wilkens was in favor of approving the position.

“I think we should hire someone for this position so that we won’t participate so heavily in the economic downturn,” Wilkens said.

The council also tabled a proposal to grant a tax abatement of $24,399.30 to The Nature Conservancy following its acquisition of property in the Whale Rock area. Hagopian suggested there were too many details to be considered at the time, and that the discussion continue at the next council meeting after getting exact figures.