Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Belmont Neighborhood Association announces new Resident Parking Only zones
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The Belmont Neighborhood Association announces the installation of two new Resident Parking Only zones within its boundaries in the Lower Greenville area.
The signs for two new RPO zones - on the 5800 block of Prospect Avenue and the 5800 block of Oram Street - were installed earlier this week by the City of Dallas' Public Works & Transportation Department.
Both streets are located one block east of Greenville Avenue. The RPO restrictions are in force from 9pm to 6am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Enforcement begins this weekend.
There are 16 RPO zones in Dallas; seven are in the Lower Greenville area (see list here).
Petitions for RPO on three streets were submitted to the City of Dallas in November 2007. More than 70% of the residents and/or property owners signed petitions requesting RPO protection on their streets.
The City reviewed and approved the petitions, then conducted a survey of the cars parked on the street. After determining that a majority of the parking spaces were being used by non-residents, two petitions were approved.
"The new RPO zones will be formally 'dedicated' at 4pm on Saturday, January 12, at a location to be announced shortly. City Council Representative Angela Hunt (District 14, which includes the BelmontNA) will unveil the signs, along with BelmontNA officers and neighborhood residents."
The third street did not pass City's survey, but is expected to pass the test within the next month. Other streets in the area will go RPO as parking patterns shift.
"Resident Parking Only is permitted by an ordinance approved by the City of Dallas in 1998. There are strict and specific requirements that must be met before the RPO zone is approved, and all expenses are the responsibility of the residents. A summary of the RPO requirements are found at this link."
The BelmontNA worked with several residents on these streets to conduct property surveys, collect signatures on the petitions and work with City Staff to make sure all the documents were correct and approved.
The BelmontNA paid all RPO expenses, using money raised by the sale of the Arcadia Theatre sign in March 2007. In addition to petition fees, the association paid for ten new RPO signs and reimbursed each resident or property who signed the petition for at least two hangtags for the first year.
In total, the association paid more than $1,000 for RPO on these streets.
The City will also install zones on the perimeter of the BelmontNA area, telling visitors they are entering a Resident Parking Only area and to pay attention to the signs (there are similar signs on the west side of Greenville Avenue).
The BelmontNA - and the residents who signed the petitions - do not see RPO as a statement against Lower Greenville' businesses. Rather, we demand respect for our neighbors, our residential property, and most of all, peace and quiet on our streets on the nights when nearly 7,000 people descend upon the so-called 'entertainment district' on Lower Greenville.
Lower Greenville businesses are unable or unwilling to provide enough parking for their patrons. The City is unwilling or unable to force them to provide the required 'free and clear parking spaces' required by their Certificates of Occupancy. At the same time, these businesses have no problem charging exhorbitant fees for so-called 'valet parking' spaces just 15 feet from their doors.
Our residents are tired of the noise, the trash, and the unruly behavior of bar patrons waking us up at 2am simply because of a lack of dedicated patron parking spaces around Lower Greenville.
As one neighbor tells us:
"My wife and worked our butts off to buy our home near Lower Greenville. We put in lots of overtime and weekends to make it happen. We wanted to live near the restaurants and bars, so that if we went out and partied, we could just walk home without any problems.
But we absolutely did not buy our $350,000 home so some 25-year-old punk from Plano could come down to Lower Greenville, park in front of our house, drop his empty beer bottles on our curb, and then come back at 2am to use our lawn as his personal toilet."
Instead, we focus our attention - and our resources - to protecting our quality of life. We will continue to use the City's Resident Parking Only ordinance to prevent non-residents from parking on our streets.
Source: Belmont Neighborhood Association
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Comments
John McClelland Verified
I have not been down there much in my Dallas days, but do these homes not have a garage or a driveway?
Also the kids from Plano are most likely the ones keeping those bars alive. So if they have nowhere to park, they will stop spending their money in Lower Greenville.
It's a Catch 22.
8 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
chrisdanger Anonymous
As my future in-laws live in Belmont (behind Whole Foods), I know first hand the issues they experience 6 nights a week. This is another reason I think this portion of Greenville Ave needs to be converted to pedestrian only on weekend nights between 8p-2a. Plus, you have a lot thats about to come available (whole foods-fall 2008), why not knock down the building and turn that into a 3-4 level parking garage (2 levels below ground, remainder above) that you keep free during the days until 6pm everyday, then charge 5-10 bucks/head afterward, get the NA into the parking business so they can put the money into neighborhood beautification.
8 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
AviAdelman Anonymous
Regarding the kids from Plano (and Richardson, and Frisco, and so on...)
I cry no tears for their failing to come down here. I also doubt very much they come down here enough on a regular basis to make much of a difference on the bottom line of the bars either.
If the bars think parking is the only thing helping them survive, they have a screwy business plan.
Re Pedestrian walks, parking lots etc.
In general, there is now way in hell we in the neighborhood would allow a rezoning change for a parking lot of any kind (and yes, we have the almost final word). And you ignore the fact that the bars are supposed to provide free parking.
FREE - NO CHARGE - COMPLIMENTARY
They told the City they had parking spaces when they got their Certificate of Occupancy, so would they mind showing them to us???
Re a parking lot on the WF land - The owner of the property is not even considering tearing it down for several years (esp since WF has a long-term lease after they leave). And if he does, you can bet it will be for very profitable mixed use development.
8 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Scott Doyle Verified
John, I don't think this has hardly anything to do with available parking for residents. Seems it's mostly a noise/disturbance thing.
To which I say: joke's on you, local residents. I'm too (insert expletive for cheap) to pay $15 just to park near some bars...I'll happily park further away and walk through those very neighborhoods if there's nothing available in close proximity. I has legs; I'll use 'em.
And Avi, don't kid yourself - if people didn't come from elsewhere to drink in LG y'all wouldn't have to bother with zoning. The bottom line of the bars will certainly be hit if people decide it's too much of a hassle. I, for one, hope they flood Lee Harvey's so your buddy Chris Jones has another meltdown.
8 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Scott Miller Verified
I have one word for all the former Lakewood- Lower Greenville area residents like myself that may be lamenting the fact that it's just too damn much hassle to go to LG for dinner or a few drinks any more:
Bishop Arts District.
Leave Lower Greenville for the SMU students and Plano/ Richardson/ Frisco kids for whom it's a right of passage to get their cars towed.
If only Ali Baba Cafe would open an Oak Cliff branch, the world would be a better place..
8 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
AviAdelman Anonymous
Mr. Doyle - Congratulations on your new exercise program: Walk, Drink, Walk Slowly
We don't mind if you walk through our neighborhoods, as long as are respectful (is that a word?) of our property and quality of life.
And you are absolutely correct... If the bars are gone, we won't have a zoning issue. But not for the reasons you expect.
Since almost all of the bars are operating in locations zoned for Community Retail, albeit without the proper Certificate of Occupancy (bar v restaurant), the bars could close up shop tomorrow and be replaced by a daytime retail business without any rezoning required.
They would need a large dumpster to get rid of the smelly furniture, the cheap lighting and the poor excuses for kitchens.
Ooops, scratch the kitchens, 'cuz they do not have any kitchens.
8 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Billusa99 Anonymous
I love Avi threads that are disguised as sourced from BNA. As a former longtime resident of LGNA, it was an absolute hoot to watch and listen to Avi and LGNA go at each other like white on rice. And, eight years later, it's still going strong.
Except now, the puppettes are getting old enough to realize what "pompous blowhard baiter" means in real life, and instead of working to find compromise, the winds of heat are still blowing across Belmont while his fence rots in the south sun, the poa overtakes his dying Burmuda grass and normal people move on.
If ever there were a metaphor for why the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has never been settled, it exists on Belmont Ave today. Take no prisoners, piss on all you can via email and video, act righteous, all the while thee inherits a girth.
Bark, bark...
8 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
AviAdelman Anonymous
What is a poa???
8 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
AviAdelman Anonymous
Oh, I get it now.
Compromise, to you, means the residents let the bar patrons park anywhere they want, while the bars can ignore any and all code requirements.
How come when the residents do what is right for them and in the process inconveniences the drunks, we are made out as the bad guys?
8 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Scott Doyle Verified
Mr. Adelman, I will enjoy it very much. Never hurts to walk off empty calories, anyhow.
Your beef obviously is more with the bars than their patrons. Regardless, I severely doubt your neighborhood zoning is going to shut down LG. Could impact business, but it's not going to end it. In the extremely slim chance it does, you'll probably whine about whoever replaces the bars. What else would you do with your time?
It's classy that you're still QQing about the bars considering you've got your RPO to keep people off your street. But please, continue the charade.
8 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
AviAdelman Anonymous
I don't give a rats anything about what the bars do - it is plain as day that complaining to the City about code issues is a waste of good electrons.
We are not going to shut anyone down - this is simply a matter of supply and demand. The bars depend on free parking in the neighborhoods and as of this week we now control eight streets out of 16 or so possible streets. And for the record, two more streets are in the RPO processor.
I have lots to do with my time - starting a new business to push police reports to the public on a daily basis - Daily Crime Report
http://www.dailycrimereport.com
And getting lots of subscribers every day.
I am not sure what QQ represents.
And my street - Belmont - will probably never need RPO. It's too far off the path, and I figure every other street would be ROP way before this strip.
8 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
chrisdanger Anonymous
Avi, we also know you created the wheel, contributed to the concepts of modern democracy and like to take pictures of people making toliet in your yard, but that isnt the point. I think the main issue here is that you come off as a very anti-business person and, at worst, the old crazy guy who trims his bushes and mutters to himself about the damn grackles. I live in Ellum and we've had issues with some bad businesses, but we've worked together WITH the business owners, identified the problems and took them out. Why not come up with a solution that will benefit EVERYONE, not just yourself.
I also believe that converting that portion of LG to pedestrian only between 8p-2a on Fri and Sat nights, as well as offering a shuttle service to an offsite lot, will go a LONG way to fixing the issue. These problems dont resolve overnight, but by taking these steps, we as a city can resolve them.
8 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
DC Anonymous
If it's pedestrian only, who's gonna see dem spinnerz?
8 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
AviAdelman Anonymous
Chris - You forgot that I invented the computer before Al Gore invented the Internet..
We TRIED to work with the businesses, especially during the crimewave, and they came after me like a ton of bricks when the robber was caught and called me all sorts of nasty names. You have NO idea how many of the business owners I have on speed-dial, and vice-versa. We do communicate with the good ones, but the bad ones don't answer the phone.
Re a shuttle - Who will pay for it?? The bars won't, because they can't agree on a fair way to split the now $75,000 it would require to start the service for one year.
Offsite?? Where do you have enough land around here?? The last piece of dirt is the Arcadia Theatre, and that is turning soon. Krogers and Fiesta want NO part of any bar shuttle, nor the liability.
Like I said, everytime the residents do something to protect themselves - eg Resident parking only - you guys get up from the bar stool and claim we are anti-business.
We are anti-idiot behavior in the neighborhoods, and unless you have goons in the neighborhoods watching them, there is absolutely nothing you can do about their behavior while they traipse (sp?) through our yards.
8 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Scott Doyle Verified
Avi, ever hear the phrase "it's not what you say, it's how you say it"? I can't imagine anybody would tolerate consistently communicating with you on any level, much less enjoy it.
I don't give a rats anything about what the bars do - it is plain as day that complaining to the City about code issues is a waste of good electrons.
So, why exactly are you still ranting about it?
Since almost all of the bars are operating in locations zoned for Community Retail, albeit without the proper Certificate of Occupancy (bar v restaurant), the bars could close up shop tomorrow and be replaced by a daytime retail business without any rezoning required.
If your street isn't even affected by any of this, why the crusade?
8 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
chrisdanger Anonymous
Avi is like talking to a brick wall, sure it'll make ya feel better, but it wont get anything done. From what Ive been told by the in-laws, the neighbors around him think he's a crackpot and distance themselves from anything he does. Taking pictures of people going tee-tee usually does that :)
8 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
AviAdelman Anonymous
It seems ironic that when someone gets involved in an issue, the person(s) on the other side of the issue question his involvement.
It's as if you have the power to limit me in what I can or cannot do, esp. when it impacts your right to be a fool.
Hey, it's easy - I care about my NEIGHBORHOOD. If you don't like it, too damn bad... I do not remember anyone telling me that I must seek your approval for anything I do.
As to the writer with in-laws-to-be, I doubt your veracity. On my street, we all get along just fine, thank you.
As of tonite, I just collected the last signature needed to put RPO on streets close to Whole Foods (just not saying where).
Obviously your in-laws-to-be either did not sign the petition or do not care what goes on.
So be it. After the RPO goes in, remind me about them and I will personally deliver a check for $13 so they can buy hangtags.
8 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Robert Kelly Verified
I'm still wondering why Avi was unhappy with the Chris Jones dog-crap escapade, and why that videotaping was any different than what he does over in our neck of the woods. And I don't think its fair to say they did not sign the petition or do not care what goes on, maybe they just care differently. I live in the area and am very much against the RPO's. To each his own I guess, and Avi has done a great job of being a squeaky wheel, and it does get results.
8 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Scott Doyle Verified
Oh, Avi, you so crazzzzzzy!
Nobody's trying to limit you, just wondering why you do what you do. At least you're passionate about something, annoying as it may be. I only question your involvement b/c your motivation seems to stem from something much more than caring for your neighbors.
If you consider me foolish for having some drinks and an overall good time, so be it. As rkisok said, to each his own. Just letting you know that your approach to things seems quite counterproductive (solely based on my internetin').
8 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Billusa99 Anonymous
To Avi, the poa overtaking the Burmuda on his lawn is a piece of ass, when in actuality it's poa grass.
It's never about being aware of what is real and what is fact and what is concensus building, it's always about being aware of what is Avi and how can he still remain the CEO of http://Tilting_at_Windmills.com.
Scott... go have a drink, then leave. Your too young ans smart to be sucked into his Idaho.
Say g'nite, Puppette Master...
8 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Mike Orren Staff
Avi and Angela Hunt dedicate the new zones:
7 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Drakun Anonymous
I believe the residence in Lower Greenville Have every right to be upset. I also believe that they went about solving it all wrong. The problem isn't that people parked near the residence, the problem is caused by drunk ignorant people being drunk and ignorant. It is illegal to be drunk in public, litter, expose your self in public, trespass.... and so on. Why did the residence of Lower Greenville decide to make it illegal to park there now? They haven't solved anything. It's like trying to lower the crime rate by making more gun laws. LAWS ONLY WORK ON LAW ABIDING CITEZENS!! It's apparent that someone who would use your lawn as a toilet is not one of those people. I would be upset if someone woke me up at 2:00am as well but what do you expect when you live next to a row of bars. Lower Greenville your problem is Ignorant people. A higher police presence will help solve that issue... not putting up "No Parking" signs.
7 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
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