Newton neighborhood may see restricted parking on three streets

Proposed changes to street parking may affect residents living in a specific neighborhood connected by South Sixth Avenue East, East 14th Street South and East 15th Street South in Newton. The city council approved the first readings of the amended ordinances, presented as three separate items.

All three affected streets measured 25 feet wide and were considered by city staff and its traffic safety committee to be too narrow. Based on these measurements, the city decided the streets were not wide enough to safely accommodate parking on both sides. The following streets are affected:

• 600-700 block of East 15th Street South. The traffic safety committee recommends restricted parking on the west side of the street. Surveys were sent to adjacent property owners. Seven residents were in favor of the proposed changes; one was opposed.

• 600-700 block of East 14th Street South. The traffic safety committee recommends restricted parking on the east side of the street. Surveys were sent to adjacent property owners. Three residents were in favor of the proposed changes; five were opposed.

• 1200-1400 block of South Sixth Avenue East. The traffic safety committee recommends restricted parking on the south side of the street. Surveys were sent to adjacent property owners. Six residents were in favor of the proposed changes; six were opposed.

Council member Mark Hallam has been familiar with the street ever since he was a child. The real chokepoint is at the curve, he said, not so much the north and south paths of East 14th Street South and East 15th Street South. Hallam said he drove through the area before the meeting and noticed it wasn’t congested.

Another city council member shared similar sentiments. Council member Randy Ervin remarked he has spoken a number of times against changes to street parking in the past. He gets frustrated knowing the streets seemed fine in the past but have only now become problems after one person complained.

“Is it possible on all three of these to possibly just address the curves which sit at the north end where they intersect with Sixth Avenue?” Ervin asked.

Newton Public Works Director Jody Rhone said a number of years ago the city’s traffic safety committee proposed a criteria for parking restrictions based on street widths and traffic volume. The council at that time adopted the criteria, which is what the committee continues to use.

After that the city suggested to proactively collect traffic volume data and present the findings back to council one neighborhood at a time, Rhone said. But council declined to pursue that and instead considers changes on a request basis only. Surveys are still sent to affected neighbors so their opinions may be heard.

“They requested it for this loop, so that’s what we looked at,” Rhone said, noting the city’s recommendation is largely formed from the individual resident’s request. “And we made our recommendation based on the criteria that council … approved many years ago based on the street widths and traffic volumes.”

However, Rhone added the resident did not ask the city to directly restrict a specific side of the street.

Council member Evelyn George noted her vote was weighted heavily on those who responded to the survey, the majority of which were in favor of the proposed changes. The restricted parking on the west side of the street is “absolutely needed,” she said. Councilperson Steve Mullan agreed.

The council passed the first reading of the ordinance affecting the 600-700 blocks of East 15th Street South in a 5-1 vote. The city requires two more readings until it can be adopted. Although Hallam raised concerns, he voted in favor of the changes. Ervin opposed the ordinance and voted no.

When addressing the ordinance affecting the 600-700 blocks of East 14th Street South, George noted the importance of having three readings and allowing residents who either oppose or approve of the restricted street parking to voice their concerns. The council voted 6-0 to pass the first reading of this ordinance.

Ethan Bond, of Newton, asked the city council one question during the first reading of the ordinance affecting the 1200-1400 blocks of South Sixth Avenue East: “Why are the streets so narrow?”

Newton Mayor Mike Hansen said that is the way streets were constructed when the neighborhoods were formed. However, the city has changed the future street dimensions. At the time the plat in that area of town was approved by council, the streets met the required dimensions.

The first reading of the ordinance affecting the 1200-1400 blocks of South Sixth Avenue East was also approved by council in a 6-0 vote.

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com