Dear Editor,
Re: “Ticketed during bike to work week,” News, June 2, 2017.
I am one of the many frustrated home owners who lives in the 3100 block of Francis Road.
Mr Ribi needs to look at the other side of this coin.
The Seafair West development at 3080 Francis Road was built with every homeowner having two car garages, either tandem style or side-by-side.
Over the years, owners have legally or illegally finished part of their garages with an extra room, as has Mr. Ribi and his mom. In addition to that, when Mr. Ribi and his mom have someone visit their home, they have the use of 24 visitor parking stalls for them to park in.
Now the city has allowed a developer to build 12 single-family homes fronting the 3100 block of Francis Road that are not part of the strata complex, and yes we all have double car garages, but we have no luxury of 24 visitor parking stalls or long driveways for our gardeners who sometimes have to haul their equipment a block to reach our homes. Or, our elderly parents who come to visit can’t park anywhere near our homes because the residents of 3080 Francis Road, who have the luxury of 24 parking stalls at their disposal, choose to go off to work or vacation and leave their vehicles parked in front of our homes, thus blocking the parking spaces.
We live in an area that many people come to walk their dogs, have a picnic, or run on the dyke. These people come and go, turning the parking over unlike the townhome owners.
My opinion is that if the strata and city have allowed so many of you to finish areas in your garages, then maybe they should allow you to use the 24 parking stalls that sit empty almost every night and day.
Mr. Ribi, you are part of your strata, so get a petition going with the owners to have your strata open the 24 empty parking stalls for the residents’ use; I am confident that along with the other 18 violators that park out on Francis Road on a regular basis — with everything from commercial, school and electrical plumbing trucks — that you will have great support.
Next time you choose to cry a river about Bike to Work Week and getting a warning ticket, think of where that homeowners’ gardener or guest might park when they come to visit them after you have left your car in front of their house from the night before, until you return from work.
The only reason the street may have been empty when the Richmond News came to visit is because the city has been working with us frustrated homeowners to help keep you violators moving, so our gardeners and caregivers and repair people can park closer to our homes.
Next time please think about what and how the other side might be feeling
Dave Dennison
Richmond
