Additional no parking zones approved

The Red Oak City Council has approved additional no-parking zones.
The council held the second reading of an ordinance that would create additional no-parking areas on the city’s streets at its regular meeting Dec. 20. Under the proposal, the following city streets will have no parking:
• The west side of Boundary Street from Summit Street to Prospect Street.
• Both sides of Boundary Street from Prospect Street to Washington Avenue.
• The west side of Miller Avenue from Summit Street to Reed Street.
• The west side of Broad Street from Washington Avenue to Grimes Street.
• The south side of Reed Street, going 75 feet from the centerline of Miller Avenue.
Red Oak Mayor Bill Billings said he had driven through Boundary Street, one of the roads up for additional no-parking zones, and he felt the narrow width of the road was a major problem.
“It is a real nuisance having the cars parked at the end of the street, because if you’re trying to turn a corner, and there is a car parked there, you can’t enter or really do anything,” Billings said.
The council had received a note from Kevin McCartney and Sherri Porter. Both live on Boundary Street and both expressed concerns about the ordinance.
“They were concerned that no parking on the roads would lead to speeding. I’m not sure that parking cars along the curb is typically the route we want to go to slow down vehicles, but I said that I would share that with you, and I explained to them that what we have heard from our emergency responders and our city crews that it is extremely tight and difficult to move vehicles through there,” commented Wright.
Also, Wright said he was surprised to learn, after researching the road, that it only has a 40-foot right of way, and that it was the only street in town that was that narrow.
Councilperson Jeanice Lester said she had heard comments from the public, and they were in favor of the additional no parking zones.
The council approved the second reading of the ordinance amending city code pertaining to parking regulations, and approved waiving the third reading of the ordinance. The council then approved a motion to adopt the ordinance.
In other business, the council:
Approved a pay request from Omni Engineering in the amount of $441,334 for the 2021 street asphalt project.
Approved the final pay request to Ricchio Incorporated, in the amount of $20,000, for the aquatic center rehabilitation project.
Approved hangar lease agreements for Beech Headings, LLC; Josh Trail; Red Oak Hawks, LLC; Brian Manning; and KGL Aviation, per the airport commission’s recommendation.