Parking deficit in Honesdale

Linda Drollinger
Posted 8/21/12

HONESDALE, PA — The urgency of the parking issue in Honesdale became increasingly apparent at the borough council meeting on January 12, cropping up repeatedly and from different quarters …

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Parking deficit in Honesdale

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HONESDALE, PA — The urgency of the parking issue in Honesdale became increasingly apparent at the borough council meeting on January 12, cropping up repeatedly and from different quarters throughout the evening. Introduced by Greater Honesdale Partnership (GHP) member Jeff Hiller, who claimed that parking meter privileges are being routinely abused in front of his place of business, it was raised again by Police Chief Rick Southerton, who requested a clarification of parking violation policy. A Main Street building owner, speaking during the public comment segment, also claimed that parking meter scofflaws were parking for hours on end in front of his property; his suggestion to end the problem, a multi-story parking garage on the coal pocket property, was quickly dismissed by board members, who informed him that operation of that property by the railroad was the primary condition for restoration of excursion rail service to Honesdale.

Breaking into the discussion before it became heated, Mayor Jack Bishop put the topic in context, saying, “Adequate parking space has been a challenge in the borough for decades, and it’s an issue common in towns and cities all over the country.” Acknowledging that the problem is not limited to the business district, Bishop said, “I noticed that, on Terrace Street, cars are parked on the sidewalks because what used to be one-family homes have now been converted to two- and three-family houses, and each tenant has at least one vehicle.”

New construction zoning law dictates that there be one parking spot allocated for every 200 square feet of retail space. However, most of the Main Street business district consists of existing attached buildings with second- and third-story retail space unaddressed.

A committee comprising council members Dan Barnes, James Brennan and Bill Canfield will meet to discuss amendment to the borough ordinance that currently permits parking meter activity Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. 6 p.m. Canfield prefers free parking on weekends as well as state and federal holidays. Following committee review of his proposed amendment, it will be submitted to Bishop for recommendation.

In other news, Bishop continued his practice since taking office last year of recognizing organizations and individuals for outstanding long-term service to the borough with the presentation of honorary awards to the Honesdale Lions Club (HLC) and firefighter Ralph Corey.

“I’ve only recently become aware of the vast scope of good works done by the Lions Club,” said Bishop while presenting the award to HLC lifetime member Bruce Mackle, Steve Knash and current President Dan Card. Noting that HLC was formed in 1929, Bishop said that, to date, it has provided more than $500,000 in funding to 26 local charities and causes, including Wayne Memorial Hospital, and various vision services to the needy as well as leader dogs to the blind.

With his wife of 57 years at his side, children and grandchildren surrounding them, Hose Company 1 firefighter Ralph Corey accepted his award from Fire Chief Steve Bates. Corey was born in the Bronx and, following a stint in a Coast Guard search and rescue unit, relocated to Paramus, NJ, where he was a firefighter until moving to Honesdale in 1969. His award recognizes 45 years of firefighting service to Honesdale.

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