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BOSTON – In a joint letter recently addressed to Chief of Streets Jascha Franklin-Hodge and Boston Transportation Department Commissioner Nick Gove, Boston City Council President Ed Flynn and City Councilor At-Large Michael Flaherty requested that the Boston Transportation Department work with the South Boston Elected Officials to implement a one year Pilot Program of Resident Parking for seven nights a week, from 6pm-10am throughout South Boston. Given the unprecedented growth that South Boston has experienced, future development proposals on the horizon, and an imbalance of the parking stickers that are issued compared to parking spots available, as well as the need for consistency among neighborhoods and the quality of life issues that residents experience on the weekend – the current parking policy needs to adapt to provide relief for residents, while including attention to caregiver or visitor passes and zones.
Councilors Flynn and Flaherty also highlighted the need for resident parking overnight at Boston Public School lots as they have become a magnet for out-of-state vehicles, cars that lack a resident parking sticker, and those who have not updated their insurance. In addition, they also took issue with the precedent of continuing to automatically renew resident parking permits for certain neighborhoods without vetting if residents have since moved away. Councilors Flynn and Flaherty requested for an audit of current resident parking permits, and a return to the process of providing proof of residence upon renewal.
Moreover, the Councilors noted that a recent BTD study on the majority of South Boston indicated there were 28,900 active resident parking permits and only 10,600 on-street parking spaces. Beyond the unsustainable parking crisis, South Boston has developed over many years into a destination for young people with no resident parking restrictions in place when this influx of cars arrives on the weekends. Quality of life issues continue to arise, like illegal parking in handicap spots, MBTA bus stops, blocking driveways and fire hydrants, and double-parking along Broadway. The Councilors called attention to the difficulty, especially in the winter months, for residents to leave their homes every Thursday to Sunday evening for a youth sports game, to go to a show, or enjoy a nice night out for dinner.
“It is critical for the City of Boston to implement an updated 7 nights per week resident parking permit only policy in South Boston, and the enforcement it requires, to help protect tax paying residents from both the unsustainable parking crisis and quality of life issues that occur every weekend,” said Council President Flynn. “Many neighborhoods in Boston currently have resident-only all day parking, and we are asking that the city work with the community on a seven nights a week resident parking policy.”
“The residents of South Boston are taking the brunt of a parking crisis. There are out of state license plates that fill up spots while our residents circle the block for hours on end after working the night shift or simply returning from running errands. It’s time to help our neighbors tackle this quality of life issue,” said Councilor At-Large Flaherty.
For more information, please contact Council President Flynn’s office at 617-635-3203 and [email protected].
Maureen Dahill is the editor of Caught in Southie and a lifelong resident of South Boston sometimes mistaken for a yuppie. Co-host of Caught Up, storyteller, lover of red wine and binge watching TV series. Mrs. Peter G. Follow her @MaureenCaught.
I have lived here for 13 years and for 13 years I have wondered why we are not like other Boston neighborhoods who require resident stickers 7 days s week. I applaud this change to SB parking!!
I have lived in Southie for 16 years and I feel compelled to express my opposition to this initiative. My primary concern is the unintended barriers the proposed resident-only parking may create for those without vehicles and those who regularly welcome friends, family and caretakers. Instead of focusing solely on a resident-only parking program, I suggest prioritizing a comprehensive evaluation of permit allocation to households. A well-considered visitor pass program could contribute to a more inclusive solution, striking a balance between efficient parking management and community cohesion.
I appreciate the attention to the automatic renewal of resident parking permits and the call for an audit of existing permits. Requiring proof of residence upon renewal is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the parking permit system.
Are you running for office? Sounds like it.
Thing is, a comprehensive review will just tell us what we know already. There are apparently 3x the number of permitted cars as parking spots. Any answer that doesn’t reduce the number of parking passes given out will not make a dent in the problem
…as I do that Becky & Chad, whether just visiting from Connecticut for the night or for the weekend or for as long as they d*mn well please, are going to park, again, wherever they d*mn well please with out so much as a single thought as to how far their bumper is from the car in front or back of them or whether they’re facing in the wrong direction or if they’re 2-3 feet from the curb.
That’s Daddy’$ problem.
Tow. These.Carpetbagging. scofflaws.
Especially down on Dot ave. they are going to build up and nobody can park down there that actually lives there ,,and it has 2 nights of street cleaning!!
I am all in favor of a seven day a week parking program in Southie.. Friday afternoon through Sunday all along the streets of Southie you see cars with NY, NJ, CT and RI plates. Taxpaying residents of Southie cannot use their cars on the weekends without fear of coming home and finding no space to park. Enough is enough, ticket and tow all cars without resident parking permits!
Make new laws or update laws already in place, but they only work when they are enforced. BTD needs more enforcement officers in order to make it work.
The problem is that these out of state cars are not ticketed. There is no follow up by BTD. I still see many cars parking and the drivers walking up to the bus stop in City Point, in the mornings, where we have the residential program with morning hours, and these cars still do not get ticketed. I know many years ago we did discuss a visitors pass program, but people mentioned how they can just give their child, who commutes, the pass every day, so that won’t help, but it’s a shame that a full residential program, we will not be able to have visitors come.
What’s the solution? First of all, stop building. Secondly, if they do build, 2 parking spots per unit.
I have been asking for this for years. I am so sick of going to run errands on the weekend and coming back to find all the spots taken by out of state plated cars or cars with no stickers. They sit there all weekend while they party and stay with their friends making it so we taxpaying residents can’t go get groceries or visit a friend and come back to find no spots. It’s bad enough when it is just resident only on week nights, but let everyone park on the street and it is impossible. When I am in other parts of Boston and see the 7 days a week restriction, I get so frustrated that Southie is not restricted everyday too.
Please Please make this happen!
The Southie enclave is preserved… no visitors allowed
…shut it.
I agree with Linda Lynch, above. Stop building and if it continues 2 parking spots per unit. And if I have company in for the weekend, they should be able to park. I think it could stay the way it is now if people are ticketed/towed. I have lived here 40 years and the parking situation is honestly making me think about moving. I had cancer last year and when I was having chemo, my sister stayed over and we had to find Parton Old Colony because there are no visitor passes for something like this.
Remember it well. loved Southie but moved to Abington. I’m free as a bird to come in go with no worries.
…good for yoooouuuu.
This is what happens when an area becomes overpopulated. Single family homes become five family condos. The city is greedy and only cares about property tax revenue. Southie is a horrible place and is getting worse. Parking is a consequence of poor planning. Enjoy!
Is Manhattan over populated? Tokyo? Surely south Boston can figure something out.
As a resident for almost 20 years, the parking situation has become ridiculous. I agree we have needed 7 day resident parking for years – like every other neighborhood. BUT – what to do for visitors and people coming in for nightlife?! That can’t be ignored.
I would gladly pay for myself or a guest to park somewhere overnight if needed but there are no options. We have a garage on A street and The design center. Thats it.
With all these new developments planned – how about a garage? People would gladly pay money to park instead of spending an hour circling. This issue isn’t going away anytime soon and a comprehensive look into a solution is needed.
Nobody else read this and saw through this useless (and frankly harmful) appeasement? The real problem is right there in the article. There are 29k parking permits and 10k spots. Its almost like they shouldn’t give out triple the amount of free parking passes as spots. It’s like an over booked flight, someone is always going to get screwed
I personally would be in favor of charging for parking passes. I’m sure everyone will disagree. But basic supply and demand. When a parking pass is free, demand is infinite. If they charge a nominal fee of say $50 annually, I bet 10-15k of those passes disappear. And if income/disability, etc are a concern, you can give them for free to select groups.
The proposed policy sucks, it’s classic politics. Give the people something to quiet them down but do absolutely nothing to solve the actual problem.
I agree, we need 7-nights a week resident parking.
There is a Vermont car that consistently parks in the handicap spots (she does have a handicap placard from Vermont) – which she got because of a car accident not because of a handicap issue (she’s in her early 20s) and she is recovered from her accident of a year ago. She has lived here for over a year and still has not bothered to change her registration over. She was in the handicap spot on my street while I watched a handicap van have trouble getting a man in a wheelchair out of the van with grave issue. The handicap man’s family asked her to not park in the spot since she didn’t need it but since she has no shame she still parks there while they struggle. How about you get a resident sticker and park in a regular spot so this poor man can go out without this much issue? Also, the amount of NY,NJ and CT plated clogging the parking is absurd.
Long time coming……..however BTD does not enforce ???