By Rodd Cayton
New parking rules for Corrales are again returning to the drawing board. Village councilors Tuesday declined to post changes to the local code for publication, after debate exposed concerns about the fairness of restricting commercial parking in residential areas without providing a legal alternative.
The council turned down (for now) adding language permitting staff to place “no parking” signs on any part of a residential street, and authorizing police to tow illegally parked vehicles. Councilors suggested the village has a responsibility to make sure people have places to park.
One ongoing concern councilors and residents have had is how to go about discouraging commercial customers from parking in residential areas while still allowing Corraleños to visit one another without fear of being ticketed or towed. Village Administrator Melanie Romero told councilors she has talked with attorneys about the legality of residential-parking-only areas, and they recommended the establishment of a permitting process. Romero said she has met with two firms that offered possible solutions: a website or smartphone app that would allow residents to print out temporary parking permits, or a different solution that would permit free parking for residents or charge visitors.
Councilor Zachary Burkett said the proprietor of one restaurant said he wasn’t permitted to direct customers to park on a village owned property across the street, unless he rented it, which Burkett regarded as “nonsense.” Mayor Fred Hashimoto said a business that wants to have exclusive use of that lot would pay a fee, but otherwise would.
Councilors seemed warm to the idea of pursuing lighted crosswalks and other safety improvements for Corrales Road, to encourage visitors to use available space without disrupting residential areas. One possible site: the Gonzales property, across the street from the Village Administration Complex. Romero said that matter should be a future agenda item, so residents can have adequate notice and share their thoughts.
The issue will be revisited at the June 23 council meeting.