Georgetown South leaders want parking restrictions lifted

Georgetown South residents want a special parking district in their neighborhood lifted.

The restriction requires permits for parked cars inside the Manassas neighborhood during overnight hours and require visitors obtain temporary parking permits from the city treasurers’ office.

City officials recommend leaving the parking restrictions in place following a public hearing in May when the Georgetown South Homeowners Association asked for the removal of the parking district. The special parking zone was established in Georgetown South nearly 20 years ago.

“Georgetown South has had a special parking district since 1997 when it was a community of high crime and a more transient population, but it never complied with the new requirement that 51% of the community wanted a special parking district and as can be seen from the public hearing that type of support for a special parking district does not exist in Georgetown South,” said Georgetown South Community Manager Meg Carroll.

The community association urges the City County to vote for the elimination of the special parking district at this evening’s meeting starting at 5:30 p.m.

Carroll said one person spoke out in favor of upholding parking restrictions in the neighborhood. She also said many who live in the neighborhood “are not here legally and they have cars registered in other states…what are they to do so they can park in the community in which they live?”

Also on the meeting agenda, the City Council is also expected to approve changes to parking zones in residential areas — “zone 2” areas in single-family home neighborhoods, on Calvary Lane just off Liberia Avenue. The amendments would relax parking zone requirements, forcing drivers to have a zone 2 permit between the hours of 11 p.m and 8 a.m., instead of 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.