Park here

Creston City Council approved the removal of a “No Parking” sign on the south side of East Montgomery Street, near the corner of North Walnut Street, during the its regular scheduled meeting 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Creston Restored Depot.

The removal of the sign comes less than two weeks after it was erected.

During the meeting, Tom Spencer, owner of Spencer’s Chophouse and Tavern, 119 N. Walnut St., said he and his staff were “blindsided” by the “No Parking” sign that was installed the Monday after the council voted March 5 for its placement.

“I know that I’m going to be met with a compromise that I’m not willing to accept,” said Spencer. “I want that sign taken down.”

Spencer said the space was previous used as a handicap parking space, and during the first Saturday after the “No Parking” sign was placed, not a single one of his 95 customers within his establishment parked on that block of Montgomery Street.

“...people aren’t taking the time to read the sign, which clearly says, ‘No parking from here to corner.’” said Spencer. “But it can be interpreted, ‘No parking from corner to here, or here to corner,’ depending on what type of person is reading it.”

Spencer said he believes customers are hesitant to park on the block because they are misinterpreting the message of the sign. He said if someone were to interpret the sign as “No parking from here to corner,” it would eliminate all parking on the south side of the block.

Spencer said to not see any cars parked on the block on a Saturday night is uncharacteristic.

“Normally you can’t find a parking space on Montgomery Street,” he said.

Spencer said he feels there was never a need for the sign in the first place, which was installed after a complaint was received about larger vehicles, such as a delivery truck, sometimes obstructed the view of motorists attempting a right hand turn from North Walnut Street onto East Montgomery Street.

“We do have some ... traffic limitations in that area. I feel those are more so during the day and not when I am open. There are never any cars parked along that street and very seldom would there be cars parked along that street because we’re not open [during the day],” said Spencer.

Spencer said, in the year and a half he has owned Spencer’s Chophouse and Tavern, there have been no reported accidents at the location, but that ultimately, the removal of the sign would be up to the council.

After Creston City Administrator Mike Taylor and Creston Public Works Director Kevin Kruse agreed the sign was neither required nor necessary, the council voted unanimously to remove it.

Taylor said after the street is repaved this summer, a new crosswalk and parking spaces, which will be painted, should help alleviate any traffic issues near the intersection.