musicman Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 What's the deal with all the new no parking signs in Montrose? was supposed to meet some coworkers at Boheme tonight but many of the streets are now marked no parking. My aunt lives over there and is very pissed cause her block is still ok to park and they are partially blocking her driveway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtticaFlinch Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 What's the deal with all the new no parking signs in Montrose? was supposed to meet some coworkers at Boheme tonight but many of the streets are now marked no parking. My aunt lives over there and is very pissed cause her block is still ok to park and they are partially blocking her driveway.Is it just in that Fairview/Taft area? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Some places say parking for local residents only. On the street behind Anvil, for example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted October 16, 2009 Author Share Posted October 16, 2009 (edited) Is it just in that Fairview/Taft area?it seems to be more than this, westward towards la mexicana on hype park i noticed some new ones on the perpendicular streets. one in particular i noticed was hopkins.Some places say parking for local residents only. On the street behind Anvil, for example.the ones i'm referencing say no parking for anyone. i'll bet the fourplex residents are irritated. Edited October 16, 2009 by musicman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsb320 Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Some places say parking for local residents only. On the street behind Anvil, for example.I'm pretty sure you can't reserve street parking for residents. Either anyone can park there or no one.I've not seen the signs yet or heard any buzz in the hood yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted October 16, 2009 Author Share Posted October 16, 2009 I'm pretty sure you can't reserve street parking for residents. Either anyone can park there or no one.no they can make it residents only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsb320 Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 no they can make it residents only.Interesting, it doesn't sound legal. How are they supposed to know who's a resident anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted October 16, 2009 Author Share Posted October 16, 2009 Interesting, it doesn't sound legal. How are they supposed to know who's a resident anyway?they have permits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trymahjong Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 (edited) There was another thread about the parking situation around Boheme-- that situation lead to Boheme and Dean's to do valet parking--the offshoot of this is many patrons won't shell out the $5 for valet(which takes the cars to a lot on westheimer and out of the neighborhood) and instead try to park on the street.And another thread on the parking problems caused by the eclessia church group-- yes, new "no parking signs and "no parking with in 30 feet of stop sign" have been installed in the area north of fairview. There are a few streets in the Avondale area that are resident only requiring a permit-- stratford and avondale blvd-- and a headache for the saturday sunday crowd at la strada--(It doesn't require as much effort as you might think to designate your street "permit only" there isn't a minimum # of residents required-- only that all residents involved be informed 3 different times and those that don't agree appear before the board)-- and yes tow truck drivers inform HPD of violators just minutes after designated NO PARKING time begins. but most of the "no parking" is one side of the street only-- usually the east side-- to allow the big ladder trucks through access on those narrow streets--yes quite a few ladder trucks respond to EMT calls as everyone on the ladder truck has EMT training--so when you ask "what's the deal?" It's a complicated answer-- parking is a subject that comes up frequently at both the East MOntrose Civic and Avondale civic asso meetings. Why? because the residents --some of them were in residence before most of the current bars get tired of blocked driveways and parked cars 2 feet from curb so it's hard to pass and cars parked directly next to stop signs so you can't see cross traffic etc-- all those things that were part of the bargain of living in a great neighborhood, but after a while . . . . . having someones bumper partially blocking your driveway . . . . . it gets old.7138538808 officer j conolloy (HPD parking) is the after 12am number I call if someone blocks driveway-- yes i do live within blocks of boheme-- Lillianna Rambo is the person in charge all things HPD parking-- Edited October 16, 2009 by trymahjong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashman Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Here are the codes. Here is the punchline: "Sec. 26-311. Designation. (a) The city council may designate residential areas within the city with chronic commuter parking problems as residential parking permit areas pursuant to the procedures of this division. For purposes of this division, a 'chronic commuter parking problem' means the occupancy of curbside parking spaces by commuter vehicles at the same hours and on the same days, but shall not mean parking for events which by their nature are expected to occur on a frequency of less than once every two weeks. ( In carrying out the functions assigned by this division, the parking official shall consult with and obtain the concurrence of the traffic engineer. (Ord. No. 07-464, § 7(Exh. , 4-11-07)" The procedure is spelled out how a neighborhood can request the designation. Not sure how the emoticons got inserted into the code. It is sort of funny, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted October 16, 2009 Author Share Posted October 16, 2009 so when you ask "what's the deal?" It's a complicated answer-- parking is a subject that comes up frequently at both the East MOntrose Civic and Avondale civic asso meetings. Why? because the residents --some of them were in residence before most of the current bars get tired of blocked driveways and parked cars 2 feet from curb so it's hard to pass and cars parked directly next to stop signs so you can't see cross traffic etc-- all those things that were part of the bargain of living in a great neighborhood, but after a while . . . . . having someones bumper partially blocking your driveway . . . . . it gets old.i said that in jest. i definitely empathize with residents' concerns. i blame the city for this fiasco. they love to issue permits cause it brings in money but yet they don't have the sense to realize that when all the businesses open in one area (same block in this instance), parking issues will occur. factors such as business hrs, types of businesses, etc are not considered. it's all about the $$. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dachmation Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 I think dollars plays a key part in all of this. Permits, ticketing and tow trucks. I want to relate an incident about permit parking. An owner of a rental house on Avondale parked outside that house with members of the civic asso to have short 30 minute meet about a project. 10 minutes later his car was towed another was upon a different tow truck. After informing the HPD officer that he DID own that house, the question was asked "How did HPD find out that 2 cars were parked 10 minutes into the "Permit only after 5pm? Did the tow truck driver call on his cell phone and inform on officer personal cell phone?" No answer was given but in the back and forth conversation this resulted -- the one car was taken off the tow truck for $60cash and the other tow truck brought back the other car for $80 cash. No tickets were issued-- Avondale association did look into how that stretch of street was "permit only" with out the knowledge of the owner of 3 rental houses-- Quick answer-- only residents are notified--and yes each resident was notified three times and the notification was started and pursued by one lone resident on Stratford street and no one on Stratford or Avondale disagreed.The ticketing and tow truck situation revealed that HPD has an entire separate department and yes HPD officers are dedicated to going to all permit parking only and ticketing violators. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Some guy keeps parking in my spot in my garage downtown. If he does it tonight he's getting towed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Some guy keeps parking in my spot in my garage downtown. If he does it tonight he's getting towed.Let us know what happens.The more congested and harder it is to find parking inside the loop, I would expect these incidents to increase even more.I say save yourselves the hassle and pay the freakin valet or take a cab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 It does seem kind of funny that Dean's has valet, haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted October 16, 2009 Author Share Posted October 16, 2009 I think dollars plays a key part in all of this. Permits, ticketing and tow trucks. I want to relate an incident about permit parking. An owner of a rental house on Avondale parked outside that house with members of the civic asso to have short 30 minute meet about a project. 10 minutes later his car was towed another was upon a different tow truck. After informing the HPD officer that he DID own that house, the question was asked "How did HPD find out that 2 cars were parked 10 minutes into the "Permit only after 5pm? Did the tow truck driver call on his cell phone and inform on officer personal cell phone?" No answer was given but in the back and forth conversation this resulted -- the one car was taken off the tow truck for $60cash and the other tow truck brought back the other car for $80 cash. No tickets were issued-- Avondale association did look into how that stretch of street was "permit only" with out the knowledge of the owner of 3 rental houses-- Quick answer-- only residents are notified--and yes each resident was notified three times and the notification was started and pursued by one lone resident on Stratford street and no one on Stratford or Avondale disagreed.sounds like someone ignored signage though.It does seem kind of funny that Dean's has valet, haha.owners of dean's and boheme have been duking it out over parking. not pretty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsb320 Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Are they letting people park in the old Hyde Park Supermarket lot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted October 16, 2009 Author Share Posted October 16, 2009 Are they letting people park in the old Hyde Park Supermarket lot?people are parking there. i don't know which particular business, if any, made the arrangements or if peeps are just doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsb320 Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 people are parking there. i don't know which particular business, if any, made the arrangements or if peeps are just doing it.Charles A. has been very smart in that he's bought up some dilapidated properties and made parking lots. I must say that they're landscaped very nicely too. Then, he's got a shuttle bus that circulates through the area with dropoffs at his bars.It looks like he's bought a string of houses along Crocker(?) near Katz's. You can see the SOBE barricades in front of them. I hope these aren't torn down though, they look to be in pretty good shape. I'm not sure how a parking lot would look at the end of Avondale.Just got a google map view and these houses appear to be doomed, the old Felix parking lot is on the back side of them. This would allow for a pretty sizeable parking area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 What's the deal with all the new no parking signs in Montrose? was supposed to meet some coworkers at Boheme tonight but many of the streets are now marked no parking. My aunt lives over there and is very pissed cause her block is still ok to park and they are partially blocking her driveway.My brother in law the wrecker driver says that you can have someone blocking your driveway towed without calling HPD first. He's done it a few times - the wrecker driver takes care of notifying the police. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted October 17, 2009 Author Share Posted October 17, 2009 My brother in law the wrecker driver says that you can have someone blocking your driveway towed without calling HPD first. He's done it a few times - the wrecker driver takes care of notifying the police.will pass that on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trymahjong Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 (edited) sounds like someone ignored signage though.owners of dean's and boheme have been duking it out over parking. not prettyI'm not sure "duking" is the right word--- Dean's was trying to work with the local civic assoc and Boheme was ignoring the local civic assoc about parking (Parking is suppose to one of the criteria to issue a permit)-- The civic association members began writing letters to TABC when Bohemes liquor license came up-- TABC said it would begin an "investigation"--what ever that means -- Dean's didn't want the same thing to happen to him and went to Boheme to see what could be done-- presto-- a shared valet system. I don't think the civic association has that much clout but I do think "the squeaky wheel gets the grease" in this case-- It made sense to approach the parking problem in a positive way. Those neighborhood associations have little "power" to change tiresome problems like parking but do understand that protest letters can begin to pile up after a while and don't look "good" when you want your liquor license renewed.The Hyde Park grocery store is owned by the guy who owns Hungry's. It seems Ziggy's (still no settlement on using parking lot by the antique store) and the new Picasso and Pinot use that lot as well as who knows who else, but so far no complaints have surfaced. Edited October 17, 2009 by trymahjong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted October 17, 2009 Author Share Posted October 17, 2009 I'm not sure "duking" is the right word--- i'm talking about boheme getting mad that dean's customers are parking at the few spaces boheme has out front and vice versa. having a shared valet is fine, but i wouldn't say that is solving the overall parking issue for neighborhood residents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 Some guy keeps parking in my spot in my garage downtown. If he does it tonight he's getting towed.I had his Tahoe towed. He called me today and said I screwed him out of $200. He gave me some sob story about how he was just unloading and I asked him why it takes him 3 days to unload. I don't use my spot often, but when I need it I need it. If he had left a phone number or something on his car I gladly would have called him and told him to move, but he wanted the hard way, I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverartfox Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 I had his Tahoe towed. He called me today and said I screwed him out of $200. He gave me some sob story about how he was just unloading and I asked him why it takes him 3 days to unload. I don't use my spot often, but when I need it I need it. If he had left a phone number or something on his car I gladly would have called him and told him to move, but he wanted the hard way, I guess.Let's hope he doesn't retaliate by doing something bad to your vehicle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 I don't have a car and my Dad has left town so I won't need the spot for a bit, but yeah hopefully he has a short attention span when I eventually have someone else park there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trymahjong Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 an interesting post on neighbor hood group--------------parking in this area is always going to be a PROBLEM!A neighbor told me the cops came through last week and were writing tickets for various things. One was for parking less than 30' from a stop sign. ANOTHER neighbor got a ticket for the same thing about a month ago. They also ticket for parking on the wrong side of the street, and parking too far out from the curb, and for not moving your vehicle every 24 hours. Near the Kroger at W. Gray, they'll ticket you for having a tire on one of the white parking space lines or not being entirely within the space, according to J at Chase Bank across the street. Please be aware of the parking laws. (Find them on the city's website, the state's website, and we've printed them in the newsletter a coupla times over the years.) In mid 2009, we put a major effort into getting HPD to enforce parking laws around the Ecclesia "church" on Taft at W. Drew, because their members cause immense problems when they block intersections, block driveways, park on sidewalks, park on private property, etc. not to mention hindering access by emergency vehicles. As a partial solution to this, we FINALLY got them to give us No Parking Here to Corner signs, which are helping quite a bit. But the other way to stop them from parking illegally is to get the cops to write tickets, which HPD said they would do. Sgt. (from our storefront on Westheimer) looked right at us and stated that they would have no way to differentiate between our residents and Ecclesia patrons, so any car they found in violation was subject to being ticketed. Right after that, he said that it's hard to know how to handle a neighborhood that has, for instance, so many townhomes with driveways instead of curb space, which reduces the amount of available parking, plus townhome people parking in their own driveways and blocking the sidewalks - but they have no other place to park. It's a conundrum, he admitted. Now, all that was about a year ago, so we have no way of knowing if the current rash of parking tickets is cops responding to our request, or if it's just some guys trying to fill up their time and quotas. Either way, it's important to beware of the parking laws, and to abide by them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgriff Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 I started going to the Montrose area clubs, bars and restaurants about 25 years ago. It's a shame but I've just started avoiding the area. There are other places in Houston I can go and not have to worry about all the tow truck drivers circling. I'm always worried that there is some sign I don't see or some crazy residents only parking that I don't know about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 30 feet from a stop sign? Heh. I figured it was more like 10 or 15. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 30 feet from a stop sign? Heh. I figured it was more like 10 or 15.Definitely 30. That's what the ticket I got a few years ago said. And the ordinance when I looked it up. And my mother when I called to vent:Me: How far from a stop sign is it legal to park?Mom: 30 feet. Why? Get a ticket did you?Me: What gave you that idea?Mom: Why else would you be asking me that question?So, that meant a trip to teh municipal Courts building, and a swift reduction of my bank balance by $75. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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