MANASSAS PARK — A growing number of drivers are parking their vehicles in Manassas Park neighborhoods. And, it’s becoming an issue city leaders must address.
“There’s only so much space,” said Donald Shuemaker, a councilman on the Manassas Park Governing Body. “Our population is growing.”
The nation’s economy is hot, and development around the region is increasing. Because of that, officials say there are more construction and commercial vehicles parked in residential areas in Manassas Park.
Shuemaker said that there were complaints about parking raised at a recent meeting of the Bloom’s Crossing Home Owners Association, but there are also complaints about parking coming from the West side of Manassas Park as well.
“The parking problem is widespread,” Shuemaker said.
Manassas Park City Manager Laszlo Palko said he has received many complaints from residents about parking. He said that people were complaining about being unable to park near their homes or unable to find parking at all, non-residents were taking parking spots, and people were parking commercial vehicles in neighborhoods.
City officials recently a residential parking program, on which Shuemaker voted no. He was the only council member to oppose the plan.
“I’ve seen how Manassas implemented their [parking permit system in the Georgetown South and Point of Woods neighborhoods],” Shuemaker explained. “I look at how they’ve done it there, and I would not want to replicate their program in Manassas Park. You have to have a permit after 8 p.m.,” Shuemaker said.
He added that Manassas makes residents pay for visitor passes, and are only provided a minimal number for the year.
Shuemaker said mandatory parking permit programs unfairly targets lower income and higher minority neighborhoods with their parking program.
He also noted that Manassas Park pays the highest property tax rate in the state, so paying for parking passes would add unnecessary costs to residents who are already paying a lot in taxes.
Shuemaker is in favor of reinstituting the city’s annual decal program, instead. The city switched to a permanent decal program several years ago. Last year, the decal requirement was removed entirely.
Shuemaker opposed the move, saying it made it easier for people to avoid paying property taxes on their vehicles.
“I think that re-instituting the annual decal requirement, number one will bring revenue into the city, and I actually think that some vehicles will just magically disappear,” Shuemaker said.
Palko said due to the decal program being gone, he had no other procedure in place to address the parking issues, which led him to consider a residential parking program. Palko said other jurisdictions do this and he wanted to do an analysis about it, which is the point where Manassas Park is now.
“I’m going to do the evaluation. Evaluations take a long time.” Palko said. He does not have a current date for when he will present the evaluation to Manassas Park Governing Body.
Parking garage to bring relief to commuters
Residential homeowners may have parking issues, but commuters may have it a little easier soon. Shuemaker said that the city is currently working with Virginia Railway Express to build a parking garage for commuters. The parking garage will be across the street from the city hall.
Palko said that the funding for the parking garage is already approved and they are now at the design phase, which is about 30% done. Palko said the intention of the parking garage is not to eliminate the city’s residential parking woes.
He said the city wouldn’t be able to afford a parking garage strictly for residential parking issues – this garage is being funded by regional money through VRE.
Shuemaker noted that the city owns all the land behind city hall. The parking garage will go on the land there and contain 540 spots and three levels. Shuemaker said the projection for the garage is that the garage will meet the capacity needs of the community through 2040.
The garage will be open Monday through Friday and is only for commuter use, but on the evenings and on the weekends it will be available for all.
