Muskegon Residents: Even with 2 a.m. Parking Curfews, You Have Options
Andrew Trzaska | February 8, 2011
The City of Muskegon wants to remind its residents to know that they have the option to park on their terraces when the street parking curfew goes into effect for winter every year.
The issue first came up at the January 25 commission meeting, when a resident residing on Montgomery Street expressed frustration over what was perceived by her and several commissioners as a parking double bind.
The resident believed she could not park on her street because of the 2-6 a.m. winter parking curfew, nor on her terrace, nor could she access her alley because of the overwhelming amount of unplowed snow.
Hearing the resident’s comment, Commissioner Chris Carter pushed the commission at the January 25 meeting to explore the issue further at Monday’s work session and either lighten up the 2-6 a.m. curfew or work out some other solution.
At Monday’s planning session, some light was shed on the matter: Increased plowing could not be handled on the city’s budget, nor would the 2-6 a.m. restriction be lifted. However, it was clarified that when the street-parking curfew is in place from November 15 through April 15, the terrace parking restriction is eliminated. Residents can park on their terraces during that period.
This truth was not apparent to all commissioners, and it was concluded, by extension, that it was likely not apparent to all of the city’s residents.
City Manager Bryon Mazade noted that this street-for-terrace restriction switch has been this way for a long time, but it is a matter or reminding the public of their options.
Commissioner Clara Shepherd indicated at the meeting on January 25th and again Tuesday that there exist a portion of residents that have raised terraces that cannot be parked on. She is one such resident.
Shepherd encouraged residents with these kinds of terraces to call City Hall and inquire as to what to do with their vehicles.
Vice Mayor Steve Gawron indicated that even with the cutbacks in plowing because of budget reasons, more alleys were actually being plowed than in previous years.
However, he cautioned, requests for alley plowing can not be taken freely, because the strapped plowing force cannot become an on-call service when it needs to focus on major roads.