Pilot Paid Parking Program Gets Tabled

Selectmen reached no consensus on the proposal last week.

The Selectmen were sharply split on whether to exempt local residents from paying to park on Humphrey Street from the Lynn city line to the Red Rock Bistro. Paid parking on the eastern side of the street had been proposed by Selectman Barry Greenfield as a source of revenue. He believes that the parking spaces would be used by non-Swampscott residents, frequenting the local restaurants along the waterfront and would pay to park. Town Administrator Thomas Younger said the town would find it difficult to enforce parking regulations that exempt local residents. Selectman Jill Sullivan called exempting local residents "a managerial nightmare." Selectman Glenn Kessler disagreed. "It is a great idea, and I support it with one codicil." He said …

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Paid Parking Proposal Back Before Selectmen

Board members disagree on whether to exempt residents from payment.

  Parking was on selectmen's minds at their last meeting, Aug. 22. Selectman Barry Greenfield presented a proposal that the town conduct a pilot program on Humphrey Street to make 65 parking spaces paid parking. The spaces would be from the Lynn town line to the Red Rock Bistro. The board reached no decision on the proposal and is expected to continue talking about it at an upcoming meeting. Greenfield projected that the 65 spaces would generate about $50,000 a year in revenue, mostly from out-of-town visitors to Swampscott. Town Administrator Tom Younger said the town would have to purchase five or six parking dispensing machines for the 65 spaces. And he said the town would have to ticket violators for the project to be successful. The …

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Pitman Road and Cherry Street Parking Problems Come to Selectmen

The Board of Selectmen is also expected to hear concerns about the intersection of Banks and Walker Roads when they meet tonight.

  Concerns about parking and an intersection will come before selectmen tonight. The board meets at 7 pm at Town Hall. Six Pitman Road residents say in a letter to the town that they are having difficulty finding parking because unknown vehicles are parking up and down the street, and the vehicles are hindering emergency vehicle access. A Cherry Street resident says people are parking on both sides at the narrow end of the street, blocking driveways and stairs. The board typically forwards parking and traffic concerns to the town Traffic Committee, made up public works, police, fire and town administration representatives. The committee typically studies and talks about the items before making a recommendation to selectmen on any action. …

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New Grown Ups 2 Tennis Court Deal On Table

The agreement would mean more money for Swampscott, and the town would dedicate the dollars to Phillips Park field maintenance.

  Columbia Pictures and Adam Sandler's Grown Ups 2 have verbally agreed to pay Swampscott $10,000 to rent two tennis courts at Phillips Park. Recreation Director Danielle Strauss said Columbia would pay $2,500 per week, for four weeks, for the court space at the end of Bondelevitch Way. The $10,000 is more than twice the original figure, $4,000, Columbia offered for the courts' use. After further talks both sides thought the $10,000 figure was fair, the director said. The recreation director and Town Administrator Thomas Younder negotiated the additional rent. The agreement needs only a signed contract to take effect. The rental would start June 28, the town administrator said earlier. The $10,000 would be dedicated to Phillips Park field …

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Selectmen May Scratch Puritan Road Parking Idea

Board members said on Wednesday that the existing parking at Phillips Park may be meet beach-goers needs so long as they have a beach parking sticker.

  Residents in a standing-room crowd at Town Hall Wednesday told selectmen that temporary parking on Puritan Road is a bad idea because it would lead to an accident. Several board members said parking on the beach road may be a non-starter, anyways. Selectman David Van Dam and others on the board said the remaining 30 to 40 spaces at Phillips Park may meet the parking needs of beach-goers. The board passed a motion asking the town Transportation Safety Committee to look at the topic of adequate beach parking with the premise that the board is very concerned about allowing parking on Puritan Road. The chairman of the board, Rich Malagrifa, said the number of spaces at Phillips Park will soon expand to about 50 when construction of the sound…

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Lee Eric Freedman

1:25 pm on Thursday, June 7, 2012

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Puritan Road Parking Before Selectmen Tonight

Board members will consider alternative beach parking what with the spaces lost to the Phillips Park movie set.

  Tonight selectmen will consider how to recover beach parking lost to construction of a movie set at Phillips Park. The selectmen's agenda item identifies Puritan Road as a possible place for the alternative parking. Selectman Jill Sullivan said she expects a recommendation from the Transportation Safety Committee on the parking question. Committee recommendations are typically the starting point for board talks on major parking items. The parking problem arose because spaces at Phillips Park — about 130 of the 150 spots — are being used for a set in the Adam Sandler movie Grown Ups 2 . A sound stage is being constructed in the park so the movie can film in a controlled environment.  Town Administrator Thomas Younger said earlier that the…

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Town Seeks Alternative Parking For Beach-Goers

Residents asked selectmen to find them spaces to replace those lost to the Grown Ups 2 movie set at Phillips Park.

  Residents accustomed to parking their cars at Phillips Park and walking to the beach have asked selectmen for help securing alternative spaces. Many of those spaces at the park, about 130 of the 150 spots, are being used for filming the Adam Sandler movie Grown Ups 2 . Town Administrator Thomas Younger said the Phillips filming is scheduled to be over July 25. In the interim, he said he is talking with the police department about finding alternative parking places. Those who have traditionally used Phillips for beach parking walk a short distance to the ocean taking a path behind the park's bleachers. Path access remains open, said Town Planner Pete Kane. The town will receive $248,000 for the temporary lease of town property. That …

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Kiosk Parking on Humphrey Floated

Selectmen sent the paid parking plan to the town traffic committee for study and a recommendation. Meanwhile, a Humphrey Street restaurant owner and bakery owner both said paid parking will hurt their businesses.

Selectman David Van Dam is proposing paid parking on Humphrey Street for nonresidents to ensure that cars don't tie up spaces for long periods. He estimates kiosk parking — between the Lynn line and the Fish House —  could generate $100,000 to $400,000 a year for the town. Selectman Barry Greenfield wondered whether there is money to be made for the town, considering costs associated with enforcement. Selectman Rich Malagrifa suggested the solution to the parking problem is greater enforcement of the current regulations, without installing kiosks. The round-table discussion took place Tuesday at the board's regular meeting. In the end members sent the idea to the town Traffic Study Committee, asking them to look at the entire range of paid…

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Trucks Can't be Nixed From Humphrey

Selectmen will visit other traffic and parking items tonight including parking kiosks.

Traffic can't be restricted on a state road. That's the conclusion that came from the Traffic Study Committee at their last meeting. Selectman had asked the panel to look at whether truck traffic could be banned on the road, with the exception of trucks making local deliveries. Humphrey Street is also a state road, Route 129, said committee member Gino Cresta. Some residents say trucks pose a risk to pedestrians and congest traffic on the road. They also say other routes are available to the truckers. Tonight in their meeting at 7 at Town Hall selectmen will also discuss parking issues including a possible parking kiosk for Humphrey Street. Kiosks regulate parking and generate revenue by charging money for it though the local proposal does…

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Patch Picks

Parking at the Beach

Here are the things you should know about parking at one of Swampscott's beaches.

Keeping with last weeks theme, Patch Picks is looking at beaches in Swampscott. Where can you park? And what are the regulations to park there? 1. King's Beach is located right on the Lynn-Swampscott border on Lynn Shore Drive. It's also one of the easiest beaches to find a near-by parking spot. Humphrey street borders the beach. On-street parking is available. There are no parking restrictions from the Lynn border all the way to Monument Avenue in Swampscott.  2. Keep driving on Humphrey street until you arrive at the Fish House. Fisherman's Beach is on your left. Beside King's Beach, this is the only other beach with free parking. The lot at the Fish House is open to the public.   3. If you're in the mood for a more private beach check …

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