Selectman's challenge to Westport Harbor parking ban draws fire

By Bruce Burdett
Posted 7/3/19

WESTPORT — Selectman Bran Valcourt’s challenge to what he said is a ban on parking anywhere in the Westport Harbor area found no allies at a spirited Board of Selectmen meeting last week.

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Selectman's challenge to Westport Harbor parking ban draws fire

Posted

WESTPORT — Selectman Bran Valcourt’s challenge to what he said is a ban on parking anywhere in the Westport Harbor area found no allies at a spirited Board of Selectmen meeting last week.

In the end, selectmen took no action, leaving it to Mr. Valcourt to investigate the matter further, if he chooses, and seek opinions from police, fire and other branches of government as to why the ban was established in the first place and whether it ought to be undone.

One after another, audience members and fellow selectmen took turns criticizing the suggestion that the parking ban on streets throughout that area be changed, but Mr. Valcourt stuck to his guns.

“There are plenty of roads down at the Harbor that are wide enough to accommodate parking on one or both sides,” he said, repeating sentiments he had expressed at a meeting in early June.

“I thought it was kind of ludicrous that we eliminated parking from all of those roads from Adamsville all the way down to Atlantic Avenue … ludicrous that we ban parking in an entire section but have nothing from police, fire … that says why.” He said there are several public landings in that part of town that nobody uses because there is no place to park.

Noting several times that he lives in the north end of town where parking is allowed on every road, he added later, “I really think that it (the Harbor parking ban) was done as a ‘keep those people out of my end of town’ kind of thing.” That remark drew loud groans from the audience.

Asked by board Chairwoman Shan Shufelt if he had a proposal to make, Mr. Valcourt replied that the board should hear from police, fire and others about why the ban was put in place and whether it should continue.

“In my opinion, the person who is proposing making the change should actually be giving the information we need,” Ms. Shufelt replied. “You don’t need our permission to do that.”

“Usually when we work on things there is a stimulus or a problem that has to be resolved,” said selectman Richard Brewer. “That did not occur here. This came out of our discussion with Mr. Corey regarding his beach passes.”

“No, we have discussed this at multiple meetings over the years,” Mr. Valcourt replied, adding that “I’ve had multiple complaints from multiple taxpayers” who say “I just want to walk around in a section of town” but they can’t because they can’t park.

“I don’t see a compelling reason for doing this at all,” Mr. Brewer said. “We have to respect that a decision was made in the past, I assume by rational people for rational reasons.”

“You live in the south end,” Mr. Valcourt shot back.

“If you are trying to be inflammatory tonight, I think you are succeeding,” said Harbor resident Caroline Fenn.

“I see an area with narrow streets that are barely safe now,” she said, adding that emergency vehicles would have difficulty getting past parked cars. “It’s a fragile landscape,” she added.

An audience member who runs a small water company serving several neighborhoods said that the water pipes that run alongside the road are often damaged by cars that park on them.

“What really happened, Brian, is that you just went off half cocked,” said audience member Constance Gee as Mr. Shufelt cautioned her not to let the comments get personal. “It had nothing to do with you wanting to find out more information. We have a selectman who makes an attack on an entire neighborhood, that it is being boarded off. Nobody has boarded off the Harbor. You only feed into this negative perspective. Please don’t be divisive.”

Selectmen moved on to the next agenda item leaving it unclear whether the matter will return for further discussion.

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