Islands cause of parking problems

DECATUR — Islands in the middle of Meadowbrook and Cederbrook Drives in the Grant Springs subdivision are creating parking problems for residents, police chief Terry Luker told the city council at the Jan. 18 meeting.

Several residents have complained because they don’t have enough room for their whole family to park vehicles in the driveway. If they park in the street, they block the road and make it difficult for others to drive through the neighborhood.

Luker said he asked the developer, Riggins Construction, if they minded the city removing the islands.

“The guy from Riggins told me, ‘It’s one of those things that looks good on paper but just doesn’t work,’” Luker said.

Fire chief David Flynt said the islands also make it difficult for fire trucks to get down the street.

Luker suggested removing the islands and putting gravel down until the next time city streets are re-paved, and then having the gravel covered with asphalt. Removing the islands would make a wide street with room for emergency vehicles and parking on the street, he said.

After the subdivision was developed, the streets became the city’s property, so the city would be responsible for the cost of removing the islands.

Mayor Bill Montgomery said the islands could be removed, but asked Luker to get something in writing from Riggins Construction stating they don’t object to the city doing away with the islands.

Alderman Linda Martin suggested donating the small trees planted in the islands to the city parks.

In other business, Martin reported a leak in the library wall had ruined the library’s DSL modem. Mike Barnett has bought all the supplies needed to fix the leak and it will be repaired as soon as the weather dries up, she said.

Water department manager Rocky Mills reported there were only three incidents of city water lines freezing because of the single digit temperatures earlier in the month. A number of Decatur residents had pipes freeze inside their homes, including five or six new homes in the Grant Springs subdivision, he said.

“We were pretty fortunate,” Mills said.

Luker asked the council for permission to classify a 1996 Jeep patrol vehicle as surplus inventory and take bids on it. The stripes and police equipment will be removed, and the council will open bids from the public at their March meeting.