McKenna Seeks to Amend Parking Program Regulations

Ward 1 Councillor Joanne McKenna is seeking to amend some of the regulations in the new City-Wide Overnight Parking Program that begins on Oct. 15.

Specifically, McKenna wants “to allow residents whose vehicles are registered in the City of Revere and who pay motor vehicle excise taxes to the City of Revere be eligible to receive an overnight or permanent parking sticker provided the resident does not live in a residential building in which parking variances have been previously granted by the City.”

“I’m finding that people that are living on state roads – that are taken care of by DCR and MassDOT – they can’t get parking stickers and they’re paying excise taxes in Revere and they’re registered in Revere. A great example is Revere Beach Parkway. We have single-family houses there and they can’t get overnight stickers because it’s run by MassDOT or DCR. I just don’t think that’s fair.”

Councillor-at-Large Jessica Giannino and Ward 6 Councillor Richard Serino thanked McKenna for bringing the issue into the public forum.

“I obviously wasn’t on the City Council last year when the Council enacted the resident parking ordinance but I, too, have received calls, not so much for Ward 6 for its impact, but for Revere Beach Boulevard and the Lynnway where friends have expressed concerns.”

Ward 3 Councillor Arthur Guinasso said he called [Parking Director] Jim Rose in reference to Revere Beach “and Revere Beach is exempt so anyone can park on Revere Beach – you don’t even need a sticker.”

Ward 5 Councillor John Powers said he explained to a constituent that, “We don’t control state highways. We can advise. We can request. But we don’t have any direct control over them. I think this is a matter that certainly would fall upon the Legislature and the Governor. I agree with Councillor McKenna 100 percent. There are state roads.”

Citing the lack of sufficient parking spaces for residents at the Jack Satter House and the lack of parking spaces nearby on Oak Island Street, Powers said “this whole project has to be revisited.”

Guinasso said the City Council and Traffic Commission worked on the Overnight Parking Program for more than five years. “If we start attacking the program by watering it down, we really have to draw back. Let the program take its place. And then we have a little meeting with people and organize. But to keep watering it down and sending it to a point where – we’re defeating the whole purpose that we intended.”

Council President Patrick Keefe agreed with Guinasso stating, “We had the debate [on resident parking]. Now we’re in the middle of implementing. Before we make adjustments, we need to really let the dust settle. We have to be smart enough to let this happen and let it play out and then make the adjustments down the road.”

In a matter related to resident parking, Councillor-at-Large Steven Morabito noted that there is “caretaker permit” that a resident (vehicle owner) can apply for when providing health care to residents in emergency situations. Morabito commended Director Jim Rose for his assistance in a recent situation involving an emergency care provider assisting a senior resident.