Harold Nebling has been parking on the street in front of his home on Reed Road in Hopewell Township for nearly 30 years.
But that may change under an ordinance introduced by the Township Committee that would, if adopted, ban on-street parking on Reed Road, from Washington Crossing-Pennington Road to the Hopewell Township-Ewing Township border.
The ordinance, which is set for a public hearing and final action at the committee’s Dec. 10 meeting, would also ban parking on Brandon Road West between Denow Road and Plymouth Street.
The proposed ordinance states that if a road is too narrow to accommodate bicycle lanes and on-street parking, then cars and trucks will not be allowed to park on the street. Hopewell Township is installing bicycle lanes on the two streets in compliance with its complete streets policy.
Nebling told committee members he has been parking in front of his home for the 29 years he has lived there. He said he became aware of the pending ordinance after “No Parking” signs were installed on Reed Road.
“My right is being taken away. Why is my right being taken away to park in front of my house? Where am I going to put the leaves? Where am I going to put my recycling buckets?” Nebling asked.
Nebling asked “how is it fair” to him and his neighbors that cars and trucks can be parked on the street in other parts of Hopewell Township, but not along Reed Road.
“It is a huge issue for me,” he said, adding that parking is not fairly distributed.
Township Engineer Mark Kataryniak said when streets are repaved, they are brought into compliance with the complete streets policy. He said all streets must be designed to accommodate bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists.
Reed Road is not wide enough to handle on-street parking, but it is wide enough for a bicycle lane under the complete streets policy, Kataryniak said.
Bicycle lanes are required to be at least 4 feet wide and parking lanes must be at least 8 feet wide, Kataryniak said. The shoulder on Reed Road varies from 5 feet to 6 feet in width, so it was converted into a bicycle lane.
Cars cannot be parked in the bicycle lane, but residents can put their garbage and recycling buckets out for collection because they would be there temporarily, Kataryniak said. Leaves may also be placed in the bicycle lane awaiting collection.
Dennis Thompson, who also lives on Reed Road, said there has always been a shoulder on the street, but now it is being called a bicycle lane. He said families have parties and asked how on-street parking ban would be handled.
Kataryniak and Township Administrator Elaine Borges said they would research the issue and look into whether temporary permission could be granted for on-street parking when a family entertains guests.