Rockledge residents voice concerns over parking

Residents of Lynwood and South Jarrett avenues complained to Rockledge Borough council Monday that students of the Extreme Karate studio are hogging the parking spaces in front of their homes.

Students who attend classes around the dinner hour leave their cars on Lynwood before the residents return home from workI thus depriving them of the parking spaces on their own streetsI the residents said.

“Now we have no parkingI” said Robert PallisterI a resident of the OMM block of Lynwood.

Residents also accused adult students and parents of younger students are parking illegally on corners and Ln IURnW RI fiUH KyGUDnWV, blocking intersectionsI turning around in homeowners’ driveways and striking their vehicles while negotiating the narrow streets.

Extreme Karate is located on the corner of euntingdon Pike and South Jarrett Avenue. LynwoodI which consists of only one blockI lies down the hill and intersects Jarrett at a q. ft has no other cross streetsI so that vehicles can reach it only through JarrettI and to exitI they must often make three three-point turns.

“f’ve had my truck hitI” Pallister told council.

BRURuJK RIfiFLDOV H[SUHVVHG sympathyI but they stopped short of advocating parking permits for borough residentsI whichI they said could create more problems than they solve.

aennis LeibertI owner of Extreme KarateI told council he has reached an agreement with the pastor of Nativity Church for use of the church parking lotI and he would encourage his students to leave their cars there. Borough offiFLDOV DVNHG UHVLGHnWV WR wDLW and see how well the arrangement works before they consider further action.

“Can we try to do this amicably?” council President Jason Showmaker asked.

2IfiFLDOV DOVR VDLG WKHy wHUH hearing of the problem for the fiUVW WLPH, HYHn WKRuJK UHVLdents said they had called VNN to report illegal parking.

“f have heard no complaints about parking down thereI” police Chief Gerald Miller said. “None.”

Miller recommended residents report illegal parking by calling the Rockledge police directly at ON5-PTV8800, UDWKHU WKDn 911. CDOOV placed to VNN over cell phones are often answered in PhiladelphiaI given the way cell towers workI and Philadelphia dispatchers will not send police to RockledgeI he said.

ee cautionedI howeverI that parking in Rockledge is open WR Dny GULYHU Rn D “fiUVW-FRPH, fiUVW-VHUYHG EDVLV,” DnG FDUV using the spaces homeowners would use are not parked illegallyI even if they do not live in the neighborhood.

Residents complimented Leibert on his work with the community and said they hope his business succeeds.