Town officials are setting a parking limit along a stretch of Hoyt Street following an area resident’s complaint about rail commuters leaving their cars there all day.
A complaint has come into town officials about commuters parking all day long on Hoyt Street by Ed Dixon Park. Credit: Michael Dinan
Three or four cars can parallel park, and often do, along the western edge of Ed Dixon Memorial Park, a narrow pocket park with a small playground that runs between Summer and Hoyt Streets just off of East Avenue.
Members of the Police Commission, which oversees on-street parking in New Canaan, voted 3-0 during their regular meeting Thursday night to set a 3-hour time limit there on weekdays.
Already discussed within and recommended by the Traffic Calming Work Group, the measure is designed “to prevent all-day commuter parking” while allowing those who wish to enjoy the park itself to do so, Police Capt. John DiFederico said during the commission’s meeting, held at department headquarters.
The work group, which fields requests for traffic calming, discussed the matter during its meeting on Tuesday, also held at NCPD.
There, Jim Cole (deputy director of the Office of Emergency Management) clarified that the cars parking all day by Ed Dixon Park pose no safety hazard.
Department of Public Works Assistant Director Tiger Mann said “it’s more of a nuisance” for those who live in the area.
“Hoyt has on-street parking elsewhere—it’s allowed,” Mann said, adding that the road isn’t wide enough in places for two cars to pass each other safely at full speed with a third car parked on the shoulder.