News

Fox Chase resident concerned about street parking

Bob Partridge persuaded the Hendersonville City Council not to stripe Half Moon Trail for parking.

By Bill Moss, Published: June 23, 2015

Bob Partridge loves his new retirement home at Fox Chase, a Windsor Aughtry development off U.S. 64 East.

“I have never seen a home built better than that one,” he said of the 1,670-square-foot patio home. He knows construction. He built textile mills for a company based in Macon, Ga.
What he feared was not inside his home but outside on the street. He thought a decision the Hendersonville City Council made on parking regulations would make it impossible to back out of his driveway. The council had heard from the residents last year about parking rules along Half Moon Trail, which will eventually have 10 patio homes. After hearing the comments, the council ordered the city public works department to put up “No Parking” signs on the west side of Half Moon Trail. Partridge was OK with that. In the same decision, however, the council directed the public works department to stripe the east side of the street to permit parking. Partridge was OK with the parking but not the striping.
He says marking the roadbed for parking would invite drivers to park opposite his driveway, essentially blocking him in. He demonstrated by moving his pickup truck directly across from his driveway.
“It would be legal along here,” he said.
Cars parked across from his driveway will make it hard to back out, Partridge says.The street is 24 feet side curb to curb. That makes it more like 21 feet of driving width, he said.
Two city police officers, he said, had told him that the striping would make it impossible for him to have a car towed. Without the marking, they said, he could have them towed.
“I think everybody that has a drivers license knows you can’t block a driveway,” he said.
When it comes to towing, Partridge’s information is not exactly right, said city Police Capt. Bruce Simonds.
“He could not tow a vehicle that’s parked there,” said Simonds, who drove out to look at the Half Moon Trail after getting a call from the Hendersonville Lightning. “We’re not going to tow a vehicle that’s parked there. It’s a city street. If it was on his side of the street blocking his driveway, we could definitely tow it. It’s going to be up to him backing out not to hit anything.”
After Partridge explained the situation — and his plea to scrap the painting — the council agreed. There will be no marking for parking. Partridge thinks that solution will solve the problem.
“It’s just common sense,” he said. “That’s all we wanted.”