First Selectman Dan Rosenthal’s frustration at parking problems on the Fairfield Hills campus has received an official solution as the Police Commission has unanimously approved permanent “No Parking” signs in a number of locations.

The permanent signs will replace a number of temporary signs placed by the Parks & Recreation Department, mostly on Keating Farms Avenue and Simpson Street, in the vicinity of NewSylum Brewing Company.

Regarding the temporary signs, Rosenthal said he was “fed up” and “needed to do something” to curb drivers parking along the narrow roads and on the grass in spite of adequate parking elsewhere.

At a previous commission meeting, Police Captain Bryan Bishop noted the width of the road is not enough to accommodate parking on either side of the road, and visitors often park on the road instead of parking farther away in one of the available parking areas.

“In the area of the brewery, people obstruct the roadways instead of walking the extra distance to a parking area,” said Bishop.

“The first time we get a sunny day, everyone rolls up on the lawns and then I get tons of messages from people complaining that people are parking on the lawns,” said Rosenthal.

Without signs warning drivers about where they can’t park, the police were powerless to do any enforcement. The only police enforcement available was when vehicles blocked a fire lane. But with the temporary signs and now the approved permanent signs, it is possible for police to take action.

Rosenthal doesn’t envision police giving tickets, but would prefer that if cars are found parked in an area they shouldn’t be, that the drivers could be found and asked to move their vehicles.

“We’re not looking to pinch people for fines,” said Rosenthal.

Additionally, on certain days with large events where the day-to-day parking is inadequate, the parking ban will be rolled back and drivers will be instructed that parking on certain grassy areas is allowed.

The permanent signs will be mostly in the areas of NewSylum Brewing and the NYA, where problem parking frequently occurs. Additionally, signs will be put up at the community center and near the entrance with instructions on what is expected with regards to parking.

Police Commissioner Neil Chaudhary said he “initially felt it was a lot of signs,” but compared with how many temporary signs are currently up, “it’s not that bad.”

Chaudhary said he “hates signs” due to sign pollution, but in this case, “they’re functional.”

Center Line Striping

In other Police Commission news, the commission continued its review of its policy regarding center line striping.

Center line striping became an issue after residents of Osborne Hill Road came to a commission meeting to oppose their road receiving a double yellow line. Residents said that double yellow lines can reduce the value of homes along the road as compared to an unstriped road.

Up until recently, many roads were repaved with a single yellow line, but the state Department of Transportation guidelines state that “single solid yellow lines shall not be used.”

According to the DOT, roads must be striped if they are paved, an urban arterial or collector, 20 feet wide or greater, and see 6,000 cars per day or more. There is discretion to stripe roads that are an urban arterial or collector, 20 feet wide or greater and have 4,000 cars per day or more; are a rural arterial that is 18 feet wide and 3,000 cars per day or more; or on “other traveled roadways where an engineering study indicates such a need.”

Commission Chairman Joel Faxon said he believes the plan is to look at roads on a “case by case analysis” to leave the commission “some discretion.”

Rosenthal expressed concerns with that, as “too much subjectivity” could lead to “neighbors coming out to debate if a road has too many curves.”

“I’d almost rather see them all be striped,” said Rosenthal. “The only thing that might not get a stripe is a cul de sac. I think nuance is going to eat you [the Police Commission] alive.”

Public Works Director Fred Hurley said that more clarity on how decisions are made puts the commission “in a stronger position.” He recommended creating a three person review board for an appeals process.

Faxon recommended the commission get some criteria together on when roads should be striped.

“We’ll get the rules in place and then make decisions based on that,” said Faxon.

Faxon expressed an expectation that the commission would discuss center line striping further at its next meeting on June 6.

Associate Editor Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.