FAQs

As a safety enhancement, the City revised parking restrictions on Third Avenue between Sherman Street and Francis Street and updated No Parking signage in the area on Dec. 28, 2021, to reflect the changes.

Parking along City streets has evolved over the years to accommodate changes in modes of transportation, population growth, and improvements to safety.

There are numerous public streets in the area where parking is allowed.

City staff had intended to notify and inform area residents of the upcoming safety improvements prior to the installation of the signage in December 2021. Unfortunately, due to some internal miscommunication, signs were installed before the notification was sent. We recognize that this was an issue for area residents and businesses and apologize for not issuing a timely notification prior to installing the signs. While we regret that the information did not reach area residents and businesses ahead of the updated parking restrictions going into effect, those restrictions in this area of Third Avenue are critical to resolve the line-of-sight issues and provide an improved level of safety at these intersections for our residents and patrons of local establishments. Parking restrictions go into effect as soon as signage is installed.

Public comments at Coffee with Council meetings indicated that parking on Third Avenue near Sherman Street obstructed sight lines and visibility and created an unsafe condition. When safety concerns are raised, City staff work to evaluate and address them if necessary. Staff evaluated the area residents identified and posted restrictions to provide adequate sight distance and improve safety.

City staff is responsible for parking enforcement. The City does not use a private third party for parking enforcement in the public right of way.

Parking enforcement in Longmont is handled by staff from the City’s Code Enforcement Division and the Police Department. Enforcement ranges from issuing tickets to towing vehicles, depending on the nature of the violation.

Parking restrictions are posted with signs, which are official traffic control devices. There is no grace period for enforcement.

People can avoid tickets by following the posted parking restrictions. Don’t park in areas that are posted with No Parking signs.

Police generally get complaints in historic areas of the City for vehicles that are blocking driveways. Please avoid parking within five feet of a driveway and be respectful of those who live in the area.

Intersection sight distance is covered in section 205.02 of the City of Longmont’s design standards.

City staff from the Engineering Division undertook several field visits to these intersections to identify the issues brought forward by residents. Staff noted that late in the afternoon and early in the evening there were areas where several vehicles parked on Third Avenue obstructed the lines of sight required by City standards. The obstructed view impacts the safety of vehicles accessing Third Avenue.

Public comments at Coffee with Council meetings indicated that parking on 3^rd Avenue near Sherman Street obstructed sight distance and created an unsafe condition. Staff evaluated the area and posted restrictions to provide adequate sight distance and improve safety.

Staff visited the intersection on six separate occasions at different times throughout the day to observe parking patterns.

Staff observed the parking patterns and sight distance concerns and determined that the change in parking restrictions was the appropriate solution to immediately improve visibility and safety in this area.

There are no immediate plans for additional traffic control changes in this area. City staff evaluates requests for traffic control devices or marked crosswalks on a case-by-case basis, using The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), FHWA 2009. This manual, created by the Federal Highway Association, provides guidelines on appropriate use of traffic-control devices.