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Williamstown Bans Parking on West Side of HoxseyBy Tammy Daniels - June 10, 2008
iBerkshires Staff
 | | Police have asked for parking to be prohibited along narrow Hoxsey Street. |
WILLIAMSTOWN — The police chief's request to prohibit parking on Hoxsey Street sparked off a nearly hour debate that ended with the Selectmen giving him "half a loaf" — a ban on the west side.
Back-to-back graduation and alumni weekends at Williams College created an overflow of parked cars onto Hoxsey Street, creating a bottleneck along the narrow street that would have prevented emergency vehicles from entering it, Police Chief Kyle Johnson told the Selectmen at Monday's night meeting.
"We learned quickly two weekends ago at college graduation how quickly we can lose control of Hoxsey Street," he said, adding that a police car could get through but a fire truck or ambulance wouldn't. He was seconded by Fire Chief Craig Pedercini.
Parking on Hoxsey Street was blocked off by cones during alumni weekend after problems the weekend before.
There had been no-parking signs but after the street was rebuilt the signs were taken down, he said, asking for a ban along the entire street, which runs from Main Street south to Walden Street, which can be used as an exit from the Spring Street parking lot.
Selectman Thomas Costley worried that banning parking along the entire street would be inconvenient to residents and suggested that the west side be prohibited, as making more sense.
"We had two big weekends that are I think exceptional to the rest of the year for that street," he said. "I think this needs to be discussed."
For example, would it cause an inconvenience to people living along the street or to patrons of the Spring Street shopping area. "I'm curious as to who parks there," Costley said.
Selectman Richard Steege noted that the Spring Street parking lot had just been expanded and asked how Hoxsey Street residents might feel about it.
Town Manager Peter Fohlin said the parking ban had been lifted in 2003 to allow guests of residents of the street to have a place to park.
"There hasn't been a problem on Hoxsey Street in the last five years since we changed the regulation until these extraordinary two weekends when the parents and alumni overwhelmed us," he said.
Costley proposed a new regulation that would ban parking on the west side and up to certain driveways from the Main and Walden Street intersections. But there debate over the measurements and who would take them. His motion failed to receive a second.
Another motion to put the entire matter off for two weeks failed to pass when only two members OK'ed it; Selectman David Rempell was not at the meeting.
After several twists and turns, board members finally agreed 4-0 to ban parking on the west side and to revisit where parking might be on the east side at the next meeting.
"If I can get one side, I'll take half a loaf," said Johnson.
Alcohol License
The board also approved a wine and malt license for The Dep Inc., operating as Harvest Moon General Store at 742 North Hoosac Road. The site had formerly been Nichol's General Store and lastly Tupelo Honey.
The property was purchased in April from CSB Service Corp. for $100,000 by 742 North Hoosac LLC.
Manager Michelle Koelle said the store will offer some groceries and takeout foods. "The neighbors will appreciate not having to shuttle down to the grocery store and pick up a hearty meal.
"The star attraction is going to be my ribs, which to no one's estimation could be called health food, but I intend to have square meals ... ones that you'd want to put on the table," she told the board.
"I will always have some produce but I wouldn't be able to have an extensive produce section."
Selectmen Chairwoman Jane Allen was concerned about Koelle's lack of experience in the liquor business.
"I want to make sure you understand the seriousness of holding that license ... that you and your employees understand who they can sell to and who they cannot."
Koelle said she had her "own paranoia about those issues." With two young children of her own and the consequences of selling to underage people, she said she might do her own stings to ensure her workers were aware of their responsibility. "I won't tolerate it. ... Everyone will be carded."
She said the store is expected to open in late June.
Reappointments
The board also appointed David Levine and alternate Larry Wright to the Zoning Board of Appeals; Anita Barker to the Affordable Housing Committee and Levine to the Mobile Home Rent Control Board.
Citizens are still needed to fill vacant seats on several boards — a one-year term on the Affordable Housing Committee; a three-year seat on the Agricultural Commission; a three-year term on the Mobile Home Rent Control Board; and a one-year seat on the Sign Commission.
Allen hoped that more people would show interest in serving the town. |
To The Editor:
I would like to thank you for your response, and I am glad the traffic volume was considered at the meeting.
However, I am even more firm in my belief that Hoxsey Street should have seen a complete parking ban as this information was presented to the board.
I simply believe Hoxsey Street is to narrow and contends with a significant traffic flow that will cause more problems then a person wanting to visit their friend and having difficulty finding parking. Additionally, a majority of the buildings on the street are off-campus housing with significant parking spaces; I find this argument feeble at best.
Again I thank you for your response and hopefully this will not be a problem. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Williamstown Board of Selectman for their continued hard work. Although I do not fully agree with their decision, they have a difficult job and carry out their duties with the best interest of the town at hand.
We now live in a time where technology allows us this opportunity to speak (type) our minds masked in anonymity. Our elected officials nevertheless put themselves in front of the “court of public opinion” a place where most “bloggers” wouldn’t dream of being. I thank the Board and all who serve their communities proudly, without them, the quality of life we enjoy would not be present.
| | from: Steve | on: 06-10-2008 |
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From the Editor: Just to clarify, the traffic volume on the street was taken into consideration along with other factors. In trying to sum up a long debate, I inadvertently left that aspect out.
That traffic, as opposed to the lower amounts on Cole Avenue side streets, was one reason parking on Hoxsey is being considered a safety issue. | | from: | on: 06-10-2008 |
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Its unfortunate the Williamstown Select Board failed to implement a full parking ban on Hoxsey Street. The problem is not specific to Graduation & Alumni weekends, it’s a problem year round and only highlighted during these two weekends.
Additionally, its not simply a public safety issue, there are several streets in Williamstown that are equally narrow yet parking is allowed. The argument that a fire truck can not pass can be easily applied top almost every street in the Cole Avenue vicinity however a parking ban is not sought on those streets.
However, what apparently is not being fully considered is the sheer volume of traffic that utilizes Hoxsey Street versus the area that I described above. Without actually conducting a survey, I am overwhelmingly confident you will find that a remarkably higher number of vehicles travel Hoxsey as compared to Elm Street for example.
Even prohibiting parking on the west side will still cause northbound traffic to swerve around the parked vehicles because the only parking area will actually be a travel lane!
It was beneficial nonetheless the board did approve some type of a parking ban. This is not the ideal conclusion but a step in the right direction.
| | from: Steve | on: 06-10-2008 |
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