SOMERS POINT — City Council’s Parking Committee made recommendations regarding several issues Aug. 28.
Councilwoman Janice Johnston, who serves on the committee with Councilman Howard Dill and Council President Charlie Haberkorn, said the panel rejected permit parking in two spots, approved a crosswalk and will take steps to alleviate some hazardous conditions.
Harbour View Condominiums requested permit parking on three streets around the complex in response to the development of the Somers Point Paddle Club on Bay Avenue.
The Parking Committee recommended against that on the grounds that it does not believe there is going to be an issue.
“There used to be a 400-seat restaurant at this location and the Paddle Club has allotted an additional lot for parking as well as what was there before, so we really don’t anticipate it being a problem,” Johnston said.
She added that the condominium association also asked for a crosswalk on Bay Avenue at Pleasant Avenue.
“That’s a very easy thing for us to do. We just have to put it on the schedule and we can definitely do that,” Johnston said, noting there is a lot of foot traffic in the area.
Also in anticipation of the Paddle Club and associated housing projects and boatyard services, residents requested that Launch Avenue be made into a cul de sac. That was also rejected.
“We took a look at that and the major reason why a cul de sac would not work is because you would not be able to get a firetruck in there, we would not be able to get the trash trucks in there, so it just creates a public safety hazard for the residents down there,” Johnston said.
The city also plans to re-install “no parking” signs on the east side of the street to help keep the narrow road open to traffic.
Johnston said the city received a request for permit parking from Groveland Avenue residents living across from AtlantiCare Urgent Care Center, who had complained that employees of the medical facility were parking on the street.
The Parking Committee also rejected that request. Johnston spoke with the manager of AtlantiCare and said she was very receptive and would encourage employees to park in the lot.
“She also said she would talk to the other tenants in that building and ask them to do the same,” Johnston said. “Hopefully that will alleviate that issue.”
She also noted that most of the residents in the vicinity have off-street parking.
Finally, the committee addressed an issue on Landing Lane, where she said many people park when dining at the Crab Trap restaurant.
“They park close to the end of the streets, they park very close to the driveways of the people that live back there and it creates an issue when they are trying to back out of their driveways as well as making that turn onto Broadway — they can’t see,” Johnston said.
The committee is going to look into painting lines to keep cars back from the intersection on both Broadway and Landing Lane so as not to block sight lines.
– By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff