VIRGINIA BEACH — North End homeowners are taking parking regulations into their own hands, exasperating city officials and dividing residents.
Residents are attempting to claim the public right of way as personal parking spaces by using fake signs, orange cones or painted sawhorses — all of which are illegal.
Calling it a “political hot potato,” longtime North End resident Steve Ervin says the issue is not new to the community. Homeowners have been illegally placing “no parking” signs since the 1960s, Ervin said.
“It is a complex problem,” Ervin said. “And it’s not going away anytime soon.”
Different views
So, what exactly is the problem?
Unofficial parking signs purchased from hardware stores may deter some beachgoers from using public street parking, but only official signs placed by the city carry any real threat.
Some residents feel that the cost of living in the North End entitles them to claim street parking.
“For the tax money we have to pay as a price to live so close to the ocean, can you not see the frustration we share?” North End resident Phil Dickerson asked.
Other residents are irritated by their neighbors’ illegal efforts to limit public parking.
“It is not polite to section off the front of your house for your parking only, or to be unkind to the day trippers who come from all over to enjoy our beaches,” said North End resident Margaret Zontini.
Interviews with several homeowners made it clear that the lack of parking makes living at the beach difficult during the summer.
“Sure, they are public streets but some people push the limits,” said North End resident Terry Phillips. “They park on your grass, partially block your legal driveway and throw trash in your yard.”
There is also apparent confusion about the city right of way.
Street parking at the North End is public, according to Virginia Beach city codes.
Homes in Virginia Beach are required to provide two parking spaces that do not infringe upon any city-owned land. However, some homeowners use the fake signs and barriers to claim additional parking spaces on the street in front of their homes.
Can I park here?
Vehicles cannot be towed unless they are parked in front of a city-placed “no parking” sign, but that doesn’t prevent residents from making the threat.
To determine if a sign is official, the most important information is on the reverse side.
“Signs from the city have a sticker on the back with a serial number,” said Virginia Beach Traffic Operations employee Mike Shahsiah. “But, a lot of people steal city official signs and place them in front of their homes.”
Official signs can also be checked by looking at the sign material. City signs are made from a reflective metal whereas hardware store signs are usually a thinner, solid-colored metal.
Unlike fake signs, most official signs at the Oceanfront also have a city phone number on the front of it.
Beachgoers can report illegal signs or barriers to Virginia Beach Traffic Engineering.
“If we find a sign is fake, we will leave a notice for the sign to be removed within seven days,” Shahsiah said. “If the sign is not removed, the violator will receive a citation.”
There are between 30 and 40 reports of fake signs at the North End each summer, according to Virginia Beach Traffic Engineering.
“We don’t go around looking for fake parking signs, but if someone calls, we will look into it,” said Virginia Beach Traffic Engineering employee Valerie Henchel.
Most of the time, residents will remove signs after they are given a notice, Shahsiah said.
“The problem is, after a few weeks, the signs come back again,” Shahsiah said. “It is a constant battle.”
The other issue: landscaping
Illegal “no parking” signs are only part of the problem, though.
“Over the years, there have been many cases of homeowners landscaping past their property lines into the city right of way,” said Virginia Beach Zoning Supervisor Kevin Hershberger.
In most parts of the city, there are clear guidelines separating private property from the public right of way, but the North End is different.
“It has always been a difficult situation because the zoning codes vary by home and street at the North End,” Hershberger said. “If we see people landscaping into the right of way today, we stop them.”
One resident agrees that some homeowners have reduced public parking by planting flowers and grass on city-owned property.
“This is not a popular thing to say, but the vast majority of people who live here have eliminated all the parking spaces with their landscaping, which has caused this problem,” Ervin said.
The North Virginia Beach Civic League echoed Ervin’s sentiments.
“The landscaping is really the problem,” said North Virginia Beach Civic League Board Member Martin Waranch. “Most people don’t want to park on someone’s yard, but homeowners have no business planting grass in the city right of way.”
City officials will continue to investigate illegal signs and zoning issues, but the North End’s parking problems will not be solved easily.
“This is a problem at the North End 93 days a year, and it’s never going to change,” Waranch said.
It’s not all complicated city code and illegal signs, though.
Chris and Cindy Stone have a sign in front of their home welcoming “free parking.”
“We created an easily recognizable parking spot,” Chris Stone said. “We have found, for the most part, that people are nice, friendly, courteous and just want to spend some time at the beach.”
Wagner can be reached at Casey@wydaily.com.
