WENDELL — There seemed to be consensus among officials and members of the public at Wednesday’s Selectboard meeting that there should be no parking on Morse Village Road or in front of the Wendell Free Library.
About a dozen people showed up for a forum regarding parking in the town center, with residents expressing their concerns and opinions, and asking questions about how any adopted changes could be enforced.
Matthew Regnier, an officer with the Leverett Police Department that handles policing services in Wendell through an inter-municipal agreement, said he would like more parking spots in town, particularly along Center Street and near the Wendell Meetinghouse. Regnier explained that if a ticketing system is adopted, that responsibility would fall on the town, not the Police Department.
Selectboard member Paul Doud asked if ticketing is effective at preventing illegal parking.
“I’ve seen good results for ticketing and towing,” Regnier replied, adding that being towed is much more inconvenient to motorists. “People don’t typically do it again after they’re towed.”
The officer mentioned that motorists must be warned via signs about the potential for ticketing and towing.
Selectboard Chair Laurie DiDonato said the town already has a parking policy, which she read aloud. She said no on-street parking is permitted, except in marked places, and all overnight parking is prohibited. Also, all parked vehicles must be 4 feet from the edge of the road (to accommodate snowplows) and no parking is allowed within 20 feet of an intersection. Violators are towed at the owner’s expense.
“We can make all the rules we want, but we have to know … how strict enforcement would be,” she said.
DiDonato also said it is important to preserve the town’s harmony and character without restricting parking at public events.
Resident Prudence Smith said she is opposed to having parking spots on Center Street. She said residents worked diligently to install curbing to protect the street’s trees from mechanical damage and yard maintenance tools.
“Wendell is known for its rural beauty,” Smith said, adding that on-street parking could risk killing the street’s maple trees and would be inconsistent with the community’s values. “The center is beautiful and we want to keep it beautiful.”
Resident Martha Senn said the problem with curbing is that she has seen people fall while going from their vehicles to the town common for events. She said that adding curbing without proper lighting is a tripping hazard.
Fire Chief Matt O’Donnell said he feels that allowing vehicles to park on both sides of Center Street would create serious issues. Permitting parking on just one side, however, would likely be manageable, he added.
Resident Court Dorsey suggested that “No Parking” signs might suffice, while Alistair MacMartin mentioned that, instead of resorting to towing vehicles or ticketing motorists, he would prefer to see small notes that are “pleasant in tone” left on vehicles that commit a parking infraction. He said this would create “a culture of better parking” and he feels tickets would only generate resentment among people visiting town.
DiDonato noted the issue of parking will be revisited for more discussion and public input.
“This is going to be a phased thing, for sure,” she said.
