Slated for the discussion:
- Todd Lovinger, Logan Residents for Equitable Enforcement of Parking Laws
- Rev. Dr. Nathan A. Harris, Lincoln Congregational Temple United Church
- Rev. Dr. H. Beecher Hicks, Metropolitan Baptist Church
- Vicar Sarah/Pastor Bob, Luther Place Memorial Church
- Rev. Shannon, John Wesley Zion Church
For more information, please visit the ANC website.
10 comments:
Cant some kind of compromise be worked on the parking issue.
www.dcbubble.blogspot.com
The safety of the residents living in that area is already compromised with the ILLEGAL parking. Fire hydrants are blocked, the double parked vehicles create a barrier for the movement of emergency vehicles through that area - not to mention crosswalks blocked that prohibit residents (and church members) from safely crossing the street. It goes beyond a convenience issue. If the city can guarantee the safety of the residents in that area (ie: emergency vehicles can access that area) and officers directing traffic in that area to avoid accidents and pedestrians being struck - then I can live with the convenience issue on Sunday (and on Sunday only). Every other day of the week, church members need to park legally or face the consequences.
Why are we looking at a compromise when the issue is one of codified law? The residents are not seeking to take away rights of the churches, they are just asking them to abide by the law. We should all be treated equally, none better and none worse, and we should all respect one another and follow the laws in my opinion.
I agree with Eric. Double parking its legal so where should the compromise be made? I think this issue is pretty cut and dry. The residents don't want the double parkers so the double parkers should be given tickets.
I have been a resident of DC for 15 years and I go to church most Sundays, but I always arrive early enough to find proper parking. I do not double park or park illegally because that is wrong and would impose my faith on others. I agree with the other posters that we all need to follow the law, no matter where we are going, and that nobody should be entitled to preferential treatment.
Until the recent flap about the so-called "church exemption," I didn't know it existed.
I oppose it. You can't have a law and then have an exception that is grounded only in the logic that "well, but they REALLY need to be able to park illegally."
There are many times when I really need to be able to park illegally. But the government shouldn't be determining that going to church wins me an exemption, but going to the hardware store or to visit a sick friend doesn't.
Again, as has been discussed before, if the laws need to be changed, then they need to be changed through the legislative process. Selective enforcement is what gets everyone in trouble and in the end makes no one happy.
I went to the ANC meeting, but had to leave early for personal reasons.
I left the meeting with the feeling that the Church represenatives wanted nothing more than to keep the status quo. One gentleman Church leader even went so far as to express his belief that we knew when buying into the area that this was a long standing practice and implied we should deal with it. I found that distasteful and lacking in the knowledge of history that other long standing "customs" were done away with because they were either illegal, immoral, and/or wrong. Finally, I personally found it offensive for the one gentleman to suggest I attend his Church when I am Jewish. He isn't speaking at his Church and shouldn't use this forum to try to convert or make light of this situation.
Enough said. My point for writing this post is to see if anyone can tell me what happened when the ANC chairman started talking? Did the ANC board vote on the proposed resolutions? Was there a start to some kind of solution?
A committee was created to try to find alternative solutions/compromises for the parking issues in that area. Given past history of committees and task forces organized for said purpose, I do not have much faith that a resolution will come. Unfortunately, it is going to take a tragedy and a lawsuit to enact change (which will come back to haunt the chairman's comments about challenging laws in the court). Someone's residence is going to need to burn down and the fire equipment unable to respond in a timely manner or heaven forbid one of the young congregates gets hit by a car because an illegally doubled parked car prohibits a clear view of an intersection. Living in DC, I think that we are jaded in that laws are there for revenue purposes only and forget that laws are inacted to protect citizens as well. As we have seen in the past few years, it is never a question of if, but when.
JCH
I have been a member of one of these churches you speak of for 36 years. I have seen a complete cultural change in the area surrounding my church and that is when the problem seemed to arise. Some residents call the police every time a service or meeting is held at the church. I must agree with one of the pastor's comments that you knew what you were buying into. The parking situation is awfu in DC and I can understand why many of you seem to be so upset about it. It is clear to many of my church members that you would like to see the church go, but lets face it our church has been here for over 100 years. We are not going anywhere. I think that we could be good neighbors if there were not such devilish behavior directed towards church members.
WWJD
Post a Comment