Update: Wednesday 6:00 a.m. — Wilmington City Council approved Councilman Kevin O’Grady’s request to limit visitor parking on the block where he resides. After recusing himself, remaining councilmembers approved the request unanimously.
WILMINGTON — Parking in Downtown Wilmington has often been the topic of debate for both residents and visitors to the city; with concerns including residents needing on-street parking to providing enough parking spaces for visitors, parking can be slim pickings.
The Wilmington City Council is ready to vote on an ordinance that would establish a residential parking program for the 100 block of South Fourth Street and expand the residential parking program for the 200 block of Nun Street.
Councilman Kevin O’Grady will have to be recused from the vote since he is the applicant for the Nun Street request, he said during Tuesday’s agenda review meeting. O’Grady currently resides on Nun Street and his house is on the market.
The new ordinance would further limit the length of time visitors to Downtown could park in these specific areas.
According to City Council agenda documents, “Residents on the 100 Block of South Fourth Street presented the City with a petition with two-thirds or more of the residents requesting to establish a Residential Parking Program, with parking restrictions of up to one hour unless permitted. In order for the program to be established, a two-prong test must be met per section 5-89 of the City Code: 1) the street must be 70-percent occupied with parkers and 2) 25-percent of the vehicles belong to individuals who do not live in the immediate area.”
Park Wilmington conducted surveys in April and results showed that the 100 Block of South Fourth Street does meet the criteria for a residential parking program, so city staff sent ballots to 12 eligible residents on the block. Of the responses, eight responded in favor of a residential parking program, and four responded opposed.
This means the block meets the requirements that would limit non-residents to one-hour parking unless permitted.
In addition to the South Fourth Street request, residents of the 200 Block of Nun Street requested the expansion of its already established residential parking program. This program would expand the current evening only parking by adding a two-hour daytime restriction for parking.
“Staff mailed out seven ballots to each eligible resident, as stated in the 2016 guidelines. Of the seven eligible residents, five responded yes; one responded no; and 1 did not respond. The block meets the guidelines to implement the daytime parking restriction with parking limits of two hours unless permitted,” according to the agenda.
If approved Park Wilmington will begin selling residential permits on October 1, after new signs are installed.
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