City dealing with parking, crowded home complaints

— Citizens lodged more than 100 complaints since college classes started about parking and over-occupancy of homes, attendees of a town hall meeting learned Monday evening.

Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan held his third town hall meeting in Ward 4, the west part of town, which includes the University of Arkansas.

Not all problems are caused by university students and renters - some are simply due to bad neighbors, said Jeremy Pate, development services director. Calls do peak this time of year, he said, and city staff is partnering with UA officials to minimize impact.

"It's a struggle during the fall; we have many calls from residents of single-family neighborhoods. We get both kinds of complaints - but by far the most are about parking - on the street, in front yards ... in backyards near the university where students park to go to class. It's not only a nuisance issue, but a matter of public safety if roads are blocked and emergency service vehicles need to get to your home," Pate said.

Complaints about code compliance issues can be made on the city's Web site, accessfayetteville.org.

Pate said code compliance and police databases are being cross-referenced to identify habitual offenders - addresses with multiple complaints.

"We'll try to educate and better inform those residents," Pate said. "We're working closely between code compliance, the police department, and the city attorney and city prosecutor."

In 2007, the Fayetteville City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting more than four cars parked in a front yard, Pate said.

"Some have simply moved cars to the back, so we're trying to look at parking permit or other solutions. We've had a great partnership with the UA; they are striving to address these issues," he said.

Pate said the city and UA are taking advantage of student orientation programs to address the concerns and educate.

"We also have an ordinance called 'three unrelated,' which states no more than three unrelated persons can reside in a home. We have this problem citywide," he said.

During the questionand-answer period, residents asked how the city will address drainage problems in the Red Oak Park area, about the widening of Garland Avenue and about the SouthPass park development plan.

Various department heads detailed projects in their divisions that impact Ward 4 and the city at large.

Ward 4 Aldermen Shirley Lucas and Sarah Lewis also attended the meeting at the Fayetteville Boys & Girls Club.

News, Pages 1, 7 on 09/29/2009

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