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Neighborhood streets turn into parking lot, prompting city to act

Phoenix street
Posted at 4:21 PM, Oct 02, 2023
and last updated 2023-10-02 19:57:34-04

PHOENIX — Neighborhood streets turning into a parking lot. That’s how some residents we talked with feel about their neighborhood near 44th Street and Camelback Road.

Residents say the eyesore has caused safety concerns and promoted the City of Phoenix to discuss a potential solution.

"It varies on the time of day," one resident told us.

This resident, who did not want to be named tells us, at times, you can see a line of cars on his street.

He proceeded to show us a video that showed just that. He even added that he’s even seen passengers getting out and walking across the way to a nearby restaurant.

"At the height of it…I had…personally had 15 cars parked around my home," he said, adding, this is causing a big safety concern.

"When you have cars parked so close to the intersection on the corner, it makes it difficult to navigate the intersection," he said.

The Phoenix Street Transportation Department has confirmed non-resident parking is an issue in this neighborhood.

This Wednesday, October 4, the city council will discuss and potentially decide whether to require residential permits for parking or not.

"This is the first time I've heard it's potentially going to be decided on,” a resident told us.

Many who live in this affected area tell us, that while permits could potentially help with the parking issue, this eyesore could also possibly be remedied in a different way.

One resident says he actually drafted up and submitted a request to the city years ago but hasn’t heard back on whether or not it is moving forward.

"The potential closure of Medlock and covering our entrances into one entrance and exit would help funnel the traffic and make it safer," he told us.

This resident adds the next-door developer offered these benefits to them, initially.

The question now is what is the hold-up? Is it with the developer or the city?

ABC15 reached out to the City of Phoenix about this. They tell us, the median modifications, wall reconstruction, and the gate and entrance are all improvements that the developer has been asked to make. It's unclear if the developer needs the city's approval for any of those modifications.

In the meantime, neighbors tell us they would like more communication from the city when it comes to solutions being drafted-- before they go on the agenda.

"Been attempting to be in communication with the City of Phoenix for years now with very little communication and being basically stonewalled, it basically adds insult to injury," added one neighbor.

This is what the City of Phoenix says residents and guests in this neighborhood should expect it’s designated as a residential parking permit area:

The cost to implement Area 30 as an RPP area is approximately $5,000, including sign fabrication and installation. Funds are available in the Street Transportation Department’s operating budget. The cost is expected to be offset over the duration of the program by the permit fees collected from the residents in the newly designated area. Annual costs of resident and visitor permits are $10 and $5 per vehicle, respectively.