Windsor grapples with parking complaint
Published 8:37 am Friday, January 15, 2010
WINDSOR—A parking problem in Windsor brought concern from council members at Tuesday’s meeting, but according to interim Town Manager John Rowe “there is very little the town can do.”
Resident Robert Beale of Hidden Acres Circle said he brought his request before the council again, hoping to get a solution.
“I know I’ve asked for your help before, but things are not any better. The cars are parking on the street so close to my driveway that we can’t drive a truck in.
“A few days ago, we even had trouble getting a fuel truck in.
“Isn’t there a way to set a distance from a driveway to where it is permissible to park?”
The council was sympathetic, but “this is not a town problem,” Rowe told Beale.
“Because the town has fewer than 3,500 residents, the streets and roads are regulated by the Virginia Department of Transportation. VDOT is the one to contact,” he said.
Rowe added, however, that it was his understanding that VDOT representatives had already studied the problem and felt it was a neighborhood problem.
He said that he was in the process of writing a letter to Beale explaining why the town couldn’t solve the problem.
Chief R.E. Porti told the council that his department could respond to any disturbances at Beale’s residence, but that was all he was allowed to do.
He said he has no authority to regulate parking.
A presentation then was given by Connie Rhodes, executive director of the Isle of Wight-Smithfield-Windsor Chamber of Commerce, on the Crime Line program, 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, which the town has recently joined.
During the past year, Windsor joined the Town of Smithfield and the Isle of Wight Sheriff’s Department in the regional program.
Rhodes asked the town to consider donating an annual $500 to the program.
The Council agreed to consider the request when the next budget is formulated.