Manchester Safety Committee addressed during the March 9 meeting the possibility of making changes to certain codes regarding parking that could present hazards to public safety.

One of the concerns presented was parking spaces on the corner of St. Bedes Dr. and the McMinnville Highway that when large vehicles park there can block the view of oncoming traffic.

Manchester Police Chief Adam Floied said he and the Street and Codes department directors looked at the space that is too close to the highway.

“There was a no parking sign there that actually hindered your vision more so (Street Department Director) George (Gannon) took that sign down.”

One of the solutions presented would be to widen the shoulder to nudge the turn out into the edge of the right of way on the far side of the St. Bede roadway.

Vice Mayor Mark Messick suggested adding reflectors similar to those at the Walmart turnoff to prevent parking in the space.

A concern also presented was the number of vehicles that park on the streets in small neighborhoods.

Floied said that the prevalence neighborhoods with shorter driveways coupled with larger families with multiple vehicles has forced many in the city to park on the streets overnight.

Vehicles parked on opposite sides of a narrow street could potentially block emergency vehicles from the scene of a fire or EMS call.

“A lot of neighborhoods are having this issue,” Floied said. “It just comes down to what (the Board of Mayor and Aldermen) wants to do there.”

He said that a change to the city’s parking ordnance would affect a lot of people in the city.

Messick questioned if it could be enforced.

Alderman Ryan French brought up parking on the square and researching adding timed parking spaces to allow downtown businesses’ customers adequate parking.

French suggested potentially creating some two-hour only spaces around town.