Mt. Lebanon overnight parking system stays in place for now

The current system of requesting overnight parking on Mt. Lebanon streets will remain the same, for the time being.
Following a May 8 public hearing on a proposed ordinance amending overnight parking restrictions, Mt. Lebanon commissioners decided on further study and discussion before voting on implementing any revisions. In the meantime, residents can continue to visit the municipal website to ask for exceptions to the prohibition of on-street parking from 2 to 6 a.m.
The impetus for change stemmed from concerns about the ability of safety vehicles to navigate streets on which vehicles are parked, along with some residents apparently taking advantage of the system. As written, the new ordinance would have limited requests to three per vehicle license plate per year, with up to 15 additional requests for “good cause shown.”
The latter provision is a source of concern for Broadmoor Avenue resident Amelia Baisley, who read a statement to commissioners during the public hearing.
“The issue I am most concerned about is one of privacy. Being required to give a reason to park on the street in front of your own home, and to share this reason with public officials, I consider to be a huge invasion of privacy and one with enormous implications,” she said. “The personal lives of the residents should be out of bounds.”
She called for further research on the municipality’s part.
“It seems to me that a broad study of overnight parking needs is indicated, which should include resident surveys, crime statistics and comparable peer community data,” Baisley said. “This might result in a basic permit system for the municipality, which many other cities and towns across the country implement successfully.”
Maureen White of Roycroft Avenue addressed the safety component.
“I understand the reason of keeping the streets open and clear for police, firemen, et cetera, but I don’t think that’s an issue on every street,” she told the commissioners. “We can look at these pockets and how we can address that.”
Several residents provided details about their individual situations and how they find it all but impossible to avoid parking on streets during the restricted hours.
“We have more cars now per family, per residence, than we have had in pervious generations, so I’m sure that’s part of the problem,” White said.
Commissioner Kelly Fraasch agreed, citing changing family dynamics such as young adults continuing to live with their parents.
“If we start restricting more and more parking, we are going to have issues with people who want to move into Mt. Lebanon,” she said. “That may or may not hurt or help us, but I think that is a consideration we should have.”
She also suggested revisiting the possibility of allowing for overnight parking on one side of streets where parking issues are especially prevalent.
Commissioner Craig Grella, who has done substantial research with police Chief Aaron Lauth about overnight parking requests that were made over the past several years, spoke about the flexibility of regulations.
“I think we need to be reasonable with how we extend the ability to grant special permits,” he said, “and I think we need to be agile enough that if comments suggest that the parking ordinance we are amending is not working, we have to look at that and be willing to change it and do it very quickly.”
The ordinance will be the topic of a future commissioners’ discussion session, after members of the municipal staff have the opportunity for further study.
Steve Silverman, commission president, encouraged further public input.
“We hear you,” he said. “Please continue to send your emails. Let us know your thoughts.”