Swings at Dawson Elementary

School swings in the winter

Conclusion – Front/Side Yard Parking Ordinance Vote – 9 for, 13 against, 2 abstentions and 2 blank ballots and misinformation

Dear Neighbors,

Members at the February Dawson Neighborhood meeting voted to reject this Ordinance  as has happened every year for the past 7 years. The past two years it has been more contentious with a resident expressing problems with their neighbor’s front yard parking behavior. Both times one neighbor’s problem has been countered with a stream of misinformation starting with calling the ordinance a “Front Yard Parking BAN” which it is NOT.

Here for the record is the clarification statement I outlined at the meeting to address the long list of misinformation.

  1. This ordinance is intended to help with a situation of crowded and unruly parking of multiple vehicles all over a front yard.
  2. Its actually protects the value of property.
  3. It does not mean that you will be told to put concrete down on your existing parking places.
  4. It is not a conspiracy for concreting companies to obtain work.
  5. It is not a “ban on parking on unpaved surfaces” and only applies to new expansion of parking areas.
  6. Like all rules, it is intended to help resolve situations that are already causing “ill-will between neighbors”.
  7. There will not be APD swat teams sweeping through the neighborhood in the morning.
  8. Like all new development, expansion of new parking areas should go through the permitting process to comply with city code.
  9. Unless making changes to your property, no one is going to be required to “register” or submit an approved site plan.
  10. The official neighborhood organization (the DNPCT) receives a notice from the city every year to consider adopting the ordinance.
  11. The DNPCT duty is serving our community by concluding the consideration with a vote at this meeting (February 2015). This is not another conspiracy.
  12. Historically, the vote has hardly been contested, but bringing it to a vote, after the contact from the city, allows for change should it be deemed necessary by the meeting majority.

Sincerely,

Peter Davis, Chair – Dawson Planning Contact Team