Businesses say owners and employees are going over the two-hour parking limit on River and Fair Haven roads, taking precious spots away from shoppers. (Photo by Dustin Racioppi; click to enlarge)
By DUSTIN RACIOPPI
Fair Haven’s police department is reluctant to go on a ticketing blitz downtown. But if business owners and employees keep camping at prime parking spaces, that’ll be the next course of action.
“It’s become an issue,” said Michele Berger, president of the borough’s business association, which has received complaints the last three months about owners and employees parking on River and Fair Haven roads all day. “People are asking: what are we going to do about it?”
Well, not much for now.
Police Chief Darryl Breckenridge said it’s an issue he’d rather see handled among the businesses not because it’s a strain on the department to focus limited resources on enforcement of the downtown’s two-hour parking limit, but to give violators fair warning.
“We like them to police their own. When you’re ready, we’ll do it,” Breckenridge told the borough council Monday. “But to go write somebody a $70 ticket and they make $100 a day, it isn’t fair.”
The police department will send notices to area businesses this week reminding them of the borough’s parking time limits. If they continue spot-hogging, tickets may show up on their windshield.
Councilman Jerome Koch said it makes no sense for an owner or employee to tie up a space all day.
“I’ve always thought an employee or owner of a business would be smart to park as far away from their business and leave spots for the customers,” Koch said.
