The Dallas Fire Department announced that 23 blocks of residential streets in the southern portion of Lower Greenville area will soon have ONE SIDE NO PARKING designation, following two weekends of late evening emergency vehicle access surveys.

After two surveys of streets not even in the area, plus stories on Fox4 News, The Daily Dog and Dallas.org, DFD Chief Debra Carlin ordered a complete survey of the area, generally bounded by Mockingbird, Abrams, Ross, and Henderson. The list released today represents the first phase of parking restrictions to be implemented immediately. Streets not listed below but included on our original list (click here) will continue to be monitored for future restrictions.

According to Chief Carlin's memo,

As a result of the study, I have requested Transportation to designate several streets No Parking on one side. The side selected as No Parking is the side where the fire hydrants are located. Fire companies encountered access problems on these streets on more than one occasion during the survey. Many other problems which restricted the fire apparatus' ability to make turns can be resolved with a stricter enforcement of current state laws regarding the distance cars can be parked from a STOP sign (30 feet) or crosswalk (20 feet).

DFD critics had contended that residents in the upper end of Lower Greenville had been protected for years after the Great GAABA War of 1980 (similar to the events taking place on Lower Greenville - bars vs neighbors), but that similar streets (by width) were being ignored in the Lower Greenville area. DFD rules require a 20-foot clearance for all fire service vehicles. This put area residents in danger should a fire occur - DFD vehicles would not be able to reach homes if the streets were filled with vehicles owned by bar and restaurant patrons parking on both sides of the street.

Residents were concerned that the City was permitting dangerous parking conditions in order to give the bars and restaurants more patron parking in the area. The Lower Greenville area (Ross to Belmont) is nearly 700 spaces short of true required parking (all conditions being optimal, which they aren't), there is no free and clear off-street parking (per City Code and the Modifed Delta Parking Overlay) at any bar or restaurant, and valet fees are in the $10 - $15 range per vehicle every weekend. This forces patrons to park in the neighborhoods.

In addition to No Parking on One Side of the Street signs, nearly 40 street corners will get stronger enforcement or more signage warning drivers not to park within 30 feet of STOP signs or 20 feet of crosswalks. This type of illegal vehicle parking severely impeded DFD entry and exit into these smaller streets. DFD Chief Carlin emphasized, and The Daily Dog fully supports, an education program to remind drivers how to park properly in any part of the City.

One problem Chief Carlin found in many parts of the area were vehicles parking 18 inches from the curb. Just because that is legal does not mean you should do it - if you park 18 inches from the curb, and the guy across the street parks 18 inches from the curb, that removes 3 feet from the street where the emergency vehicle must pass through.

Chief Carlin noted

This area will continue to be monitored by fire companies who regularly respond to this area as some additional strets were found to have narrow access one time during the survey. Most of these problems were caused by one or two vehicles parking across from each other rather than an entire block of parked vehicles. If continuing problems are encountered, the Fire Department will request additional No Parking on One Side of the Street areas to be designated.

Once the signs are installed on the streets, The Daily Dog will begin a massive Resident Only Parking awareness campaign- promoting the benefits of taking back your streets - so that the unaffected side of the streets will be used by residents only. For more information about ROP, click here.

These streets are scheduled for No Parking On One Side of the Street signage (the side is determined by the location of the fire hydrant). This list was updated on November 3, to reflect changes made by the City's Public Works and Transportation Department.

These intersections are designated for No Parking Here to Corner signs or better enforcement, as determined by the Public Works and Transportation Department and DPD.