Narragansett parking signs put up, then taken down

NARRAGANSETT, R.I. (WLNE) — They were up one day, then gone the next.

The Town of Narragansett had recently started putting up restricted parking signs alongside Narragansett and Ocean Avenue.

An ABC 6 NOW App user, Mary Tobin, shared a photo of the sign this week writing:

“Although still not approved by the state, Narragansett has begun installing 3 hour parking limit signs on Ocean Rd and Narragansett Ave. Will be interesting to see how this will be enforced without state approval.”

In a letter to the Town Solicitor Mark Davis, dated June 28, a legal representative for the Rhode Island Department of Transportation wrote that the town was not authorized to install parking restrictions signs, as the roads were state owned and had not been approved by the State Traffic Commission.

They then issued a cease and desist order for the signs.

In a statement to ABC 6, Town Council President Ewa Dzwierzynski defended the town’s decision to install the signs, and wrote that the ordinance for restricted parking had been approved over a year ago.

Dzwierzynski said that the town had received an original response from RIDOT that they wouldn’t need approval from the State’s Traffic Commission, as they have only get involved “when there’s requests for no parking based on safety concerns.”

Dzwierzynski said after no follow-up responses from the Commission, the town said they would move forward with installing the signs.

“Almost immediately after the email was sent, there was a meeting request sent from Director Alviti,” said Dzwierzynski.

According to Dzwierzynski, after a meeting with various officials, the town manager has been following up with the Commission with no response regarding signage.

“The Town of Narragansett passed this ordinance through appropriate vetting and procedures and it is a valid and enforceable ordinance intended for more access to our beautiful community,” she said.

“I find it odd that no other community that has signage for parking on state roads has ever had to go through this process,” she continued.

In response, Chief of Public Affairs at RIDOT, Charles St. Martin said an original correspondence was sent out in March, emphasizing that the road was a state road and that the Commission would need more information to follow after a recent town meeting.

In his statement, Martin said:

“The request from the town was before the State Traffic Commission but the Commission requested more information from the town following its meeting in March, and given opposition from some of the business community, the Commission voted to continue the matter to afford the town and business community time to resolve any differences and try to reach a mutually beneficial and amicable outcome that both the achieves the town’s intentions and has a minimum impact on adjacent businesses. The matter is scheduled to be before the Commission at its July 10 meeting.”