The Issue of Parking

A residents-only meeting on parking last night inflamed an already volitile situation last night (read the stories here and here) as Fitchburg State and its neighbors try to get a handle on the issue.

The two sides are dug in. Residents don't want to deal with the trash, congestion, and blocked driveways that come from college students parking on their streets. College students don't have a clue about their impact on the neighborhood, and don't really care.

As the fall as dragged on, the issue has become more and more a sore spot. Residents have dozen of stories about students who show disregard and disrespect to the neighborhood. Residents, however, have run out of patience and are starting to turn on the college to the point of looking more NIMBY than concerned. The students may not be residents, but they are neighbors.

Here's a couple of questions:

Why do residents have to pay for parking stickers? $25 certainly isn't a huge financial detriment, but what is there any charge at all? If there has to be a charge, why is it $25, and not $5 or $10? What's the reason for it?

Students will stop parking illegally when the tickets pile up. But the city has to go after the non-payers. Also, why can't the city boot and tow repeat offenders? Boston does it. Why can't Fitchburg? Booting and towing is good money.

Does "Stand Firm, Stand Together, No Deals" really set the stage for a long-term peaceful coexistence with the college?

Forget about a parking garage. The state won't pony up the millions necessary until there's an absolute meltdown, but before it gets to that stage the city will likely take action.

In the long term, the city should be moving toward resident parking in the area, but it needs to justify the cost to residents for a sticker. Until it does so, the public streets are open to parking by anyone. In the short term, the city should be ticketing the holy hell out of the area, and following up on non-payers. Also, they should boot and tow those with five or more tickets (the Boston standard). The message will get sent.

Public officials say in unison that the city and the college have a great relationship. But as this issue drags on, and tensions get frayed and the rhetoric increases, you have to begin to wonder if that's the truth or just happy talk.