Parking Changes Could be Coming for North Irving Street Residents

Residents on North Irving Street want the village to tighten parking restrictions, which they hope will make their lives easier in the coming months. Why? Residents say they'll soon be dealing with an increase of traffic and parking wrought on by the new high school field lights, which are expected to go bright in March.

Mayor Keith Killion said to the village council on Wednesday night that some residents recommended at the Safety Committee Meeting that the village ought to restrict parking on both sides of the street (no stopping or standing), or at least on one side.

Village Engineer Chris Rutishauser was present at the Safety Committee meeting and heard suggestions and concerns. Because residents want a resolution to the parking problem–which they say will only be exacerbated with the field lights bringing more activity and use to the neighboring Stevens and RHS Stadium fields–Killion said Wednesday night that he'd like a suggested report from Rutishauser ready by the Feb. 23 village council public meeting.

Ideally, Killion said, an ordinance would be introduced. "We need to act on this," the mayor said.

Village Manager Ken Gabbert remarked that a full traffic study could not be done in time, as it would probably take several months and the weather makes any reliable study extremely difficult to do. The spring sports season starts in March adn it's been an acrimonious off season between the neighbors, sports groups, the school board and village government.

The school board voted to put the controversial lights up over the summer, which . Neighbors, among many grievances, charge the school board was irresponsible in its handling of the lights issue and say a parking study should have been done (as well as other studies). They also wanted the planning board to properly review the plan, which they claim was not presented in a forthcoming manner during the .

The lights, leased for $525,000 over five years, were to be paid in part by sport booster clubs. But as reported in The Ridgewood News, The Ridgewood Baseball Softball Association (RBSA) is threatening to pull its financial commitment if it doesn't get longer hours at the fields.

The RBSA says other sports are getting priority and there's a lack of baseball fields in the village, the article states. Members of the village council have said the , as it decided to remove the full-size diamond at BF Middle School. The council had harsh words for the school board, as has the planning board after seeing its request for another review of the lights denied.

The sports groups had remained steadfast in their support of the project, but those bonds appear to be fraying. Still, school board member Laurie Goodman wrote on her blog that she believes the sport groups will still come through, and said the governing bodies need to work together to meet a resolution for all interested parties.

The council has said it does not support extending the field hours to 10 p.m.; the council and school board jointly must agree to field use and hours per the Fields Committee Policy.