Silo Hill Parkway plan goes nowhere

(10/14) A proposal to end parking along Silo Hill Parkway "died" for lack of a motion at the October 15 of the Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners.

Town staff had prepared a proposal for the town Board of Commissioners to consider adopting that would have ended the use of Silo Hill Parkway by commuters as a sort of make shift park-and-ride.

Town Manager David Haller told the commissioners that approximately 20 to 22 vehicles are normally parked along Silo Hill Parkway during the week for ride-share purposes, of which about 80 percent have Pennsylvania tags on them.

Commuters usually park their cars at that location from around 5 a.m. to about 6 p.m. The lane used for parking is within the public right-of-way, and commuters are not parking on adjacent private property.

The request to terminate the parking along that road came from an adjacent property owner Dale Hess in August who stated he was interested in selling his land, and felt the parking, along with associated littler, could be a detriment to securing an offer or closing a deal.

The proposal rejected by the commissioners at their October meeting called for a phased cessation which would have begun in November with postings along that section of the road stating parking would be limited to two-hours beginning January 4, 2013.

Beginning January 4, the two-hour parking limit signs would be posted, and would be initially enforced with warnings, and then tickets, Haller said.

The board, which had directed town staff to develop a plan in August, did not appear enthusiastic as a whole to adopt it at the October meeting.

Commissioner Tim O’Donnell summed up the general consensus when he expressed his concern. "I’m reluctant to go for it. I think the immediate need is there needs to be parking there," although, he said, the littering "might be more of an issue (than the parking) in my mind."

Commissioner Christopher V. Staiger said ending parking along Silo Hill Parkway would likely just "push those (commuters) into adjacent neighborhoods and business lots" once again.

When board President Glenn Blanchard asked for a motion from the commissioners to adopt the proposed prohibition, none was forthcoming, and the proposal died for lack of a motion to move it forward.