Will Melrose Draw The Line On Parking Issues?: Letter To The Editor

The following was submitted as a letter to the editor by Melrose resident Ellen Shore. It is in regards to the Traffic Commission meeting set for this Wednesday. Read more about what will be discussed here.

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UPDATE: Patch has confirmed this meeting has been postponed to an undetermined date.

Dear Mayor Dolan,

On Saturday, I learned of the City's Traffic Commission meeting on Wednesday evening. Firstly, I think it is enormously inconsiderate for the City to hold a public meeting of this importance on a Jewish Holy Day. Rosh Hashanah falls on Wednesday evening, September 20.

The date and time of this meeting creates an unfortunate conflict for the practicing Jewish community to comment in person. In particular, one of the requests on the agenda directly affects the Melrose Temple administration and congregants.

I ask you, where does Melrose draw the line on parking opposite driveways? Approve these few and there will be more to come.....LOTS more. Melrose has hundreds of narrow streets with little parking. Parking in the downtown area of Melrose, especially, is difficult enough without having more restrictions on certain sections of a street. In general, many property owners, who own more than one car, as most do, need to shuffle their cars from their driveways onto the street to allow the blocked car to get out. Property owners expect to be able to use their frontage to park, making it easier for them to unload packages and young children, and to have guests visit.

Why is it that people don't want others to park in front of their driveways? It is so they can exit quicker and pay less attention to the possibility of a parked car. These are public roads and should be available for the community. The number of times these people back out of their driveways pales in comparison to how important it could be for the opposite resident as well as for visitors to enjoy Melrose's hospitality.

Thank you for considering my opposition to such restrictions.

Sincerely,

Ellen Shore