The College Station City Council has decided to move forward on proposed parking regulations in residential neighborhoods and reducing the number of wrecker companies providing city towing services.
The council voted 6-1 for staff to prepare an ordinance to address residential parking issues. For the last 12 months, a task force composed of three members of the council and three from the planning and zoning commission addressed concerns of ambulances and fire trucks navigating streets with vehicles parked on one or both sides.
Comments from Councilwoman and task force member Blanche Brick.
Jess Fields, who voted no, engaged Blanche Brick and Julie Schultz about casting a vote before knowing the economic impact it would have on existing and new residential developments.
Comments from Jess Fields, Blanche Brick, & Julie Schultz.
Task force recommendations include requiring off-street parking to one space for each bedroom in a single-family home, remove street parking when the city’s traffic management team believes there is a safety concern, and when there is no safety concern leaving the issue to a private process such as deed restrictions and covenants.
For new developments, requirements for adequate parking would include wider streets and off-street parking accessed by alleys.
This issue is expected to return this summer for public meetings by P and Z and the council.
Slideshows presented at the city council meeting courtesy the City of College Station:
The council will consider formal action as early as March 28 a police department request to change how wrecker companies are selected for city-related calls.
The proposal, changing from a rotation system to accepting bids for vehicle towing and storage services, could also include a minimal background check on drivers.
The police department wants to reduce the amount of time taken for inspections. Last year, three officers and a fourth employee spent a collective 256 hours to inspect 61 wreckers and 11 vehicle storage facilities.
Assistant Chief Brandy Norris says 6 of 29 companies on the current city rotation system along with 2 other companies are interested in the more exclusive list.
If approved, this would apply to all city generated tows, including those from the Police Department, Fleet Services, or any other city department needing towing services.