CLEARFIELD – A request for a loading zone is under review by the Clearfield Borough Council.
At Thursday’s work session, the Public Safety Committee had no quorum, but the members of council who were present, discussed a request by The Progress for a 15-minute loading and unloading zone in front of their new building on Market Street.
Borough Operations Manager Leslie Stott said The Progress was requesting the parking meter in front of the building’s front entrance be removed and a 15-minuted loading and unloading zone be put in its place.
Parking Enforcement Officer Kimberly Kaschalk said there have been problems with customers coming to buy newspapers at The Progress office.
When there are no legal parking spots available near the front doors, some of the customers are parking in the no parking zones near the intersection of Market and Third streets.
Kaschalk said this causes a safety hazard, as the vehicles, particularly pick-up trucks and larger sports utility vehicles, will be sticking out into the intersection.
Kaschalk said this causes problems when the ATA buses and large delivery trucks attempt to make the turn from Third Street on to Market Street.
Kaschalk said that while the customers may only be inside for a few minutes, it only takes a second for a bus or large truck to strike a vehicle parked in the no parking zones, particularly if the roads are icy and the snow is piled up.
Kaschalk said she had spoken to The Progress employees and they had placed a sign on their door, warning customers not to park in the no parking zones, which had alleviated the problem for a while.
However, customers are parking in the no parking zones again. Kaschalk said she has spoken to some of the customers and asked them to move their vehicles, rather than issuing a $15 parking ticket, but some of the customers got belligerent.
Kaschalk said if the borough creates a 15-minute loading and unloading zone, it would not be specifically for The Progress customers. She said anyone could park in the spot, providing they were gone within the 15-minute time frame.
Police Chief Vince McGinnis said it may be a better idea to have the 15-minute loading and unloading zone on Third Street, where the first parking meter is.
He said that would be a lot safer and would keep individuals from encroaching on the no parking zones and making it difficult for vehicles to make the turn on to Market Street.
The members of council said they would consider their options to be discussed at next week’s meeting.
