Lift the overnight parking ban

To the Editor:

It is time to change Cleveland Heights's overnight parking ban.

I moved to Cleveland Heights in 2012 and was surprised to find this ban in place, which limits the ability of out-of-town family and friends to conveniently visit.

My fiancée also lives in Cleveland Heights, and every time I visit her for a night I need to call the police for parking permission. These phone calls are inefficient. The officer in charge handwrites the note and cars are frequently ticketed even after calling for clearance.

This parking policy is specifically adverse to young professionals, many of whom are drawn to Cleveland Heights for [its] accessibility to Cleveland Clinic and University Circle. Young professionals are less likely to have a house with multiple parking places and more likely to rent an apartment with a single space. This parking policy in an obstacle to recruitment of this population to Cleveland Heights.

I am sure the cost of having an officer patrolling cars at night could be better spent addressing other safety concerns. While my personal opinion is to lift the parking ban completely, I understand the viewpoint of those who are concerned with maintaining an uncluttered appearance of the street. Other municipalities issue parking passes to residents, and this would help regulate the [number] of cars that could be parked on the street. Additionally, technological infrastructure needs to be upgraded to utilize online reservation services, which [would] minimize the hassle and cost associated with the current program.