BY SHAHERYAR KHAN & AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN
Requested parking by permit boundary
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New Braunfels denies permit parking application
New Braunfels City Council denied a parking by permit appli- cation that would establish a new parking by permit area at portions of South Academy Avenue and West Cross Street on Feb. 10. How we got here Initially, city staff recom- mended approval. But during the Transportation and Traffic Advi- sory Board’s Jan. 9 meeting, the board recommended to establish a two-hour parking time limit in the area instead, according to agenda documents. Garry Ford, director of trans- portation and capital improve- ments, said the recommendation prompted a broader evaluation of the permitted parking request, which involved coordination across multiple departments, including engineering, planning and development services, and economic and community development. Following further evaluation of the request, staff did not recommend approval because the location serves adjacent resi- dences and businesses, and public rights-of-way are intended to provide public parking, according to a meeting presentation.
Some context The request for parking by per- mit was driven by residents in the area who expressed concerns over the growing difficulty of finding parking due to nearby businesses and downtown events, Ford said. Digging deeper Residents requesting the park- ing by permit zone on the east and west sides of South Academy Ave- nue, from the intersection with West Cross Street to the northern and southern intersections with West Coll Street, and on the south side of West Cross Street signed a petition requesting enforcement from 10 a.m. to midnight year- round, according to the meeting presentation. Sixteen out of 20 residents living within the area signed the petition—agreeing to pay for annual parking permits, according to agenda documents. Stay tuned The city is looking to conduct a comprehensive review of its parking permit ordinance with consideration to the city’s overall parking policies and resident expectations, according to the presentation.
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NEW BRAUNFELS EDITION
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