Alderman Suggests Parking Resolution

FAYETTEVILLE — The City Council next month will review a proposal to remove free parking along a residential street one block outside of the entertainment district parking zone.

Ward 2 Alderman Mark Kinion wants residents living along West Ila Street between Wilson and Vandeventer avenues to have permit parking spots because parking spaces along the street have been flooded with students, including nearby sorority members, and others, he said.

Ila Street is within Kinion’s ward and is one block north of Maple Street.

“It’s been a pretty bad year for the individuals that live on this block,” Kinion said.

“A lot of the houses are built without off-street parking because there was no need for it when the houses were constructed.”

Six houses sit north of Ila Street and two sorority houses can be found to the south. Those two sororities have had recent high numbers of new members who have parked on the street, Kinion said. Nearby construction for apartments have also eaten up parking spaces normally used by students and faculty, he said.

Parking permits are normally given to people living within the city’s entertainment district, according to the city’s website. Sixteen spots can fit along the street, said Terry Gulley, transportation services director.

“This is also the only block between Maple and Ila and Wilson and Vandeventer that is zoned high-density,” Kinion said. “There’s no other block from there to College that’s a high-density zoning.”

Bobby Ferrell, Ward 3’s departing alderman, asked Kinion if he was worried about his proposal setting a precedent for others seeking the same parking relief.

Kinion replied the situation was unique because that block is zoned to be high-density. The issue will be discussed at the Jan. 3 City Council meeting, said Mayor Lioneld Jordan.

“I don’t have an issue with it,” Jordan said. “There will be discussion and public comment. I know my staff will weigh in and talk about the pros and cons of it because you’ll have to enforce that and consider the costs associated with that.”