Daily Egyptian Reporter 13

A unanimous vote by the Carbondale City Council Tuesday night establishes an ordinance allowing residential parking permit areas to be designated within the city.

The first such areas will be on West Linden Street and East Campus Drive, where residents complained that students from SIUC or Carbondale Community High School parked, littered and destroyed property while trying to find parking places.

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West Linden Street is near the high school, and East Campus Drive is located off Wall Street near Brush Towers.

Before the ordinance was approved, the action taken by the council at the Oct. 7 meeting had to be rescinded. The council had voted 3-2 to deny the ordinance, after which Councilwoman Maggie Flanagan said she misunderstood the ordinance and asked it be placed on Tuesday’s agenda.

I am satisfied that this is a method (to solve the problems), and there is plenty of reason for the establishment of residential parking areas, she said.

Carbondale City Manager Jeff Doherty read the criteria for future establishment of residential parking permit areas, which includes a clause that 75 percent of residential units within a proposed permit area must sign a petition to be filed with the City Clerk.

Several residents spoke in favor of the ordinance before the vote was conducted.

John Barnett, a resident of West Linden Street, spoke about the relief his neighborhood felt when the signs initially were installed.

For the time we had the signs up, we had a little sunshine, he said.

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Barnett said his residence suffered property damage as a result of Carbondale Community High School students parking in front of his house.

I had to replace a fence due to students hanging on it and driving into it, he said. I encourage you to vote for this.

Two Carbondale Community High School students, as well as SIUC Undergraduate Student Government and Graduate and Professional Student Council representatives, voiced opposition before the council voted 5-0 to approve the ordinance.

Stephen Fox, a senior at CCHS, spoke about the need for alternatives for students.

I can’t excuse what other high school students have done, but we don’t have a lot of alternatives, he said. I don’t see closing the streets as a solution.

Mark Terry, GPSC representative to the City Council, spoke about the need to address the students’ problems.

You have residents with a valid problem, and you have students with a valid problem, he said. Nobody is trying to solve the problems of the students.

Prior to the council meeting, the Carbondale Liquor Commission voted 5-0 to take no action against Pinch Penny Pub, 700 E. Grand Ave., for noise complaints received by the Carbondale Police, after receiving a report from Hearing Officer Jeff Doherty.