Jenkintown residents unhappy with plans to place metered parking on streets

JENKINTOWN, Pa. - Jenkintown residents are fired up over plans that could make street parking in front of their homes even more challenging.

What they're saying:

Dozens of Jenkintown residents squeezed into the small borough hall room to let the council know they are vehemently against putting metered parking along all or parts of eight residential streets. These streets include Leedom, Summit, Willow, Greenwood, Hillside, West, Cottman, Cedar, and Johnson. Right now, it's permit parking.

"We are not exactly sure what problem you are trying to solve. It's certainly not a money-making issue," said Heide Braunschweig, addressing the council.

"We moved out of Philadelphia to get away from this," said Coleen Hill.

Braunschweig lives on Leedom. 

FOX 29 talked to her before the meeting outside her home, where there were no parking spots in sight. She says if the borough council goes through with its current plan allowing anyone to pay to park on her street, it will put folks' lives in disarray.

"There's already not enough parking in Jenkintown in general on our streets," Braunschweig said.

The plan is to put metered parking at fifty cents an hour and allow non-residents to park for up to ten hours on these streets.

"I think it's gonna make a big mess. It's just gonna make it harder for residents to find parking when they get home," said Tom Connolly, who lives on Leedom.

"I don't think we need it... People don't want it," agreed his wife, Jackie.

Wednesdat night, residents tried to make that clear to the council. 

One woman worried about older residents or families with young children, telling the council, "It feels like it's going to cause undue hardship for a lot of people that live on those streets."

Several members addressed residents at the end of the meeting, saying changes need to be made, including the hours and enforcement.

"I'm not going to pretend I have a solution to this, because to me it's very complicated, but I have to say I hear you, and in its current form, I will not be able to support it," said council member Joanne Bruno.

What's next:

No decision was made at Wednesday's meeting. It was just a working meeting for residents to voice their concerns. 

The plan, however, could potentially be put to a vote at the council's meeting next Wednesday. 

Residents are just hoping the council was listening and reconsiders.