BY PHIL CUSTODIO
Clarkston News Editor
Parking on Buffalo Street is a problem for residents, and City Council went one way to fix it.
“Can two cars pass on that street without any problems? Probably no,” said Mayor Steven Percival. “If two-way is not wide enough for two vehicles, it’s an issue.”
The council voted 5-2, Feb. 12, to approve a motion by Council member Sharron Catallo for one-way traffic on Buffalo Street from Church Street to Waldon Road. The direction of the one-way traffic will be determined later, based on advice of the city engineer. Voting “yes” were Catallo, Percival, and council members Eric Haven, Jason Kneisc, and Scott Reynolds. Council members Rick Detkowski and Sue Wylie voted “no.”
An earlier motion to remove parking on S. Buffalo was defeated, 4-3. Voting against the motion were Catallo, Haven, Kneisc, and Reynolds. Voting “yes” on the motion were Detkowski, Percival, and Wylie.
Buffalo resident Rene Sanger said she and neighbors were surveyed by the city, and favored removing parking from that stretch of Buffalo Street.
Cars are parked too close to both sides of her driveway, making exiting dangerous, she said.
“I can’t see cars coming – I’m fed up,” she said.
Also, cars are parked there until 2 a.m., and vehicle owners leave trash in her yard and wake people up with music. The problem started in recent years, when new restaurants opened downtown.
The city Parking Committee recommended a no-parking proposal as a “bandaid” until funds are available to create more parking by removing curbs to widen the road, said Detkowski, a member of the committee.
“Doing nothing constitutes negligence,” he said.
Catallo, who owns a home on S. Buffalo and whose son, Curt Catallo, owns one of the new restaurants, said there has always been parking there.
“These places have always been parking spaces,” she said. “Now all of a sudden, because there’s more parking than before, it’s a problem?”
Some of the residents park their vehicles in the street. Also, parked cars slow traffic, which is a benefit, she said.
“I agree, though, we need parking signs – they’re too close to the end,” she said. “I think we can do a lot with signs. We haven’t tried that.”
Removing parking from this area would just push cars into another neighborhood, she said.
“Now it’s being used and it benefits downtown businesses, but it was meant to do some of that, to carry the overflow,” she said.
Wylie said removing parking would make the road comply with American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) safety standards, which calls for at least 18 feet in width.
“Parking does take away from the charm, the quaintness of the city,” she said. “It still comes back to, it’s a safety issue. I don’t see how we have a choice.”
“People are asking to get their streets back – they’re choosing safety over business,” Reynolds said.
Kneisc called for more creative solutions to the problem.
“My worry is we’re taking parking spots off again,” he said. “Do we get another Washington Street (parking problem) somewhere else?”
Downtown resident Cara Catallo said she would like to know more details about the neighborhood survey.
“I would be curious to see a list of everybody you say is in agreement – I can name one person not in agreement,” said Cara, who is the daughter of Sharron Catallo. “I like having some parking there – it prevents it from becoming a bypass through town.”