Communication from Kevin and Dianne Koch_Snow RemovalPage 1 of 2
Jeanne Schneider -alternate-side parking proposal
From: "Kevin J. Koch" <Kevin.Koch@loras.edu>
To: <rdbuol@cityofdubuque.org>, <dresnick@cityofdubuque.org>,
<kbraig@cityofdubuque.org>, <rjones@cityofdubuque.org>, <klynch@cityofdubuque.org>,
<jconnors@cityofdubuque.org>, <dvoetberg@cityofdubuque.org>, n w
<jschneid@cityofdubuque.org>, <ctymgr@cityofdubuque.org> 0,~ c ~
Date: 06/08/2008 8:25 PM ~ r a ~1
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Subject: alternate-side parking proposal - ~,, ~ ~7
June 8, 2008
Dear City Council Members:
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My wife and I are writing to voice our opposition to the new snow-removal parking policy proposal
soon to be considered by the City Council.
The proposal, as we understand it, would require alternate-side parking every day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
from November through March on the current snow-removal streets, regardless of weather. Such a plan,
it seems to us, is an overreaction to arecord-breaking winter of a single year. We oppose the proposal
for the following reasons:
? In a typical winter, a large portion of the days in this time span will not have fresh snow cover.
Indeed, many of the days in this span of months will not even have snow on the ground.
? The number of street-parking spaces available for alternate-side parking is problematic, but in
true snow-removal conditions is an inconvenience that residents are willing to bear. To impose
this inconvenience on days when the weather is perfectly fine would be an unnecessary burden
to residents.
? On South Grandview, there is a median strip to cross from one side of the street to the other.
When there is snow on the ground, that would require either crossing over the snow-filled
median or walking to the end of the block and crossing where snow has been piled high at the
end of the median (obscuring the view of traffic). Again, this imposition is understandable when
there is fresh snow on the ground and the busier streets need to be cleared. But once the snow
has been cleared from the streets but remains in the median, the imposition is no longer justified.
? Part of the rationale, we understand, is non-compliance with the current policy, i.e., that some
residents don't know when it is and isn't in effect. The proposal would burden all residents with
a five-month alternate-side parking policy because some residents don't seem to know or care
when the current regulations are in effect. Amore aggressive fine policy might educate such
residents.
The new proposal's time frame of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. is more resident-friendly than the current noon to 5
p.m. time frame, and gives city workers more hours of snow-clearing time. It may be worth considering
applying the 9-3 time frame to the existing policy.
We hope that you will vote against the proposed replacement to the current snow-removal policy.
Kevin and Dianne Koch
285 South Grandview Ave.
Dubuque, IA 52003
(563) 556-0850
file://C:\Documents and Settings\jschneid\Local Settings\Temp\XPgrpwise\484C404BD... 06/09/2008