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New Marquette parking ordinance the right move

Although it almost certainly is going to cause some heartburn among the many thousands of people who use and enjoy the Marquette city parks system every day, we believe the city’s decision to approve a new parking ordinance specifically for parks was right on.

The Marquette City Commission voted 5-0 Monday with two members absent to OK the new statute, which will “regulate motor vehicles within the city park system” and “specifically allows for enforcement of parking at Presque Isle Park without the addition of a multitude of signs cluttering the drive.”

Although parking can be an issue anywhere in city parks, problems with cars parked on both sides of Peter White Drive on Presque Isle Park has largely driven the discussion on this issue. Noted Mayor Fred Stonehouse, “I think it’s a good solution to the problem. The ordinance as presented … is an effort to control some of the significant parking problems we’ve had along Presque Isle.”

In a Mining Journal story on the issue, Patrol Capt. Mike Laurila of the Marquette City Police Department was a bit more specific.

“The problem area for us has been at Blackrocks and the Sunset Point area,” Laurila said in the Journal report. To educate the public, the reasons we are citing there: It’s way too hard to get a response from emergency vehicles, it’s way too congested, … it’s unsafe for people who are cycling, walking.”

The ordinance, which states “no driver or operator of any vehicle shall obstruct traffic or park or stop on any road or driveway or portion of any road or driveway except at places designated for parking or stopping or in the event of any emergency beyond the control of the driver or operator,” will take effect 10 days from the date of its publication.

Violations may be a city civil infraction or a state traffic citation.

We support this move.Yes, it’s going to cramp some people’s style, expecially the ones who park along Peter White Drive out on the island, but better their style be cramped than the drivable roadway.

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