Council approves resident-only parking for Simpson Ave

LACONIA — City councilors approved the creation of a resident-only parking permit system, meant to protect street parking for those who live in certain crowded areas, particularly older neighborhoods in the Weirs.

The council’s subcommittee on government operations and ordinances met in August and agreed on the concept, which instructs residents to submit a request for resident-only parking on their street to the councilor representing their ward. That councilor would submit the request to the broader city council for consideration.

If councilors agree, the department of public works will analyze the street and make a recommendation. If rolled out, parking permits would be valid for a calendar year, and eligibility for the program would be limited to public streets with only residential homes abutting it. The city manager would establish the annual fee and the police department would be responsible for enforcing the program. 

Permanent residents party to the program would receive window stickers, and their guests would be issued rear-view mirror hangers, valid only for the period they are visiting. 

At a council meeting on Aug. 25, councilors approved Simpson Avenue for resident-only parking pending the adoption of the permit system, which occurred Tuesday night following a public hearing.

“For somebody who owns property in Laconia but doesn’t live in Laconia, how would this be in effect?” Mark Dadian of Meredith asked, about Riverside Court and Howard Street. 

“This is intended for some of the streets that are way too narrow,” Ward 1 Councilor Bruce Cheney said. 

“It’s intended for very narrow streets, where if you park, there’s not a lot of room left to drive around. This started in the Weirs, with some of the old campground streets, and so you’re entitled to apply for a resident-only parking permit for the street, it’ll come before the council, and then you’ll be issued a sticker that’ll go on your windshield, like the former inspection stickers,” Cheney said. 

The city also set certain criteria for a road to be considered for the program: a dead-end road without a cul-de-sac at the end; road pavement less than or equal to 20 feet wide; density of less than 50 feet per house, determined by the length of road divided by the number of houses abutting the road; or 21 feet per occupancy, determined by the length of road divided by the occupancy of the houses abutting the road. 

Other factors taken into account include a road’s proximity to the high school, proximity to an entrance into a state park, or proximity to recurring event sites in areas of downtown, Lakeside Avenue or Memorial Park.

Right now, the city hasn’t identified any particular streets to be considered for the program. 

“We did one street, we did Simpson, but there’s no identified streets as of right now,” City Manager Kirk Beattie said. 

The initial fee for permits through the program is $10, though the city manager will establish it year to year in the future, according to and appropriate for covering the costs of the program. 

“It gives the flexibility, as the costs go up for printing the permits, for the city manager to change it,” Public Works Director Wesley Anderson said Tuesday night.

Councilors approved the new program unanimously.