The Barrington Town Council moved one step closer to establishing a time limit for any vehicles parked on streets near the high school.

Earlier this month, the council voted to introduce an ordinance that would create a three-hour limit for any vehicles parked on Cherry Lane, Tiffany Circle and Priscilla Drive. The parking restriction, if passed, would be in effect between the hours of 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. during school days. 

The proposed ordinance stems from parking concerns that popped up on side streets near Barrington High School this year. Some residents in that part of town reported numerous cars parked on the side of Tiffany Circle, Cherry Lane and Priscilla Drive throughout the school day. 

High school officials confirmed that the student parking lot often fills quickly, leaving some students to search for parking spaces off-campus. School officials said this year’s graduating class is one of the biggest ever at Barrington High School, and despite efforts to encourage carpooling, the parking woes have continued. 

Barrington Police Chief Michael Correia reportedly recommended the town establish parking time limits on school days. 

During the May 5 Barrington Town Council meeting, councilor Liana Cassar suggested officials consider creating an incentive for students to carpool. Council president Braxton Cloutier initially was hesitant to endorse the idea — he said that when he was in high school most students wanted to drive themselves to school. 

Cassar countered with a compromise: She said students could take turns driving each other to school. 

Councilor Jordan Jancosek said she drove by the high school to check out the issue. She also offered some background on the parking situation and agreed that it was a problem. 

Councilor Kate Berard did not agree with the proposed ordinance as the solution. Specifically, she wanted to remove the language that would restrict residents from parking on their own streets for more than three hours. 

“I think the better solution would be to have no parking for non-residents,” Berard wrote in a follow-up message to the Barrington Times. 

(During the meeting, Hervey confirmed that there are a couple other places in town — he mentioned Markwood Drive — where the on-street parking is restricted to those who live on that road.)

“I did not want the ordinance to impact those who live on those streets — and three hours seemed arbitrary,” Berard said. 

When it came time to vote on whether to introduce the ordinance, Berard voted nay. However, the motion passed 4-1.

Cloutier voted in favor of introducing the ordinance, adding “It’s cool to carpool.”

Parking petition

More than a month ago, residents from the Tiffany Circle and Priscilla Drive neighborhood shared a letter with town officials, calling for a change to the parking rules. 

“Due to insufficient parking availability at Barrington High School, numerous students have resorted to parking daily within our neighborhood,” stated the letter. “The increased presence of high school students' vehicles has created an unsafe environment, given their limited driving experience, the congestion of cars at the exit/entrance of the circle, and a large amount of pedestrian traffic.

“This convergence creates a hazardous scenario with an elevated risk for serious incidents.” 

Up next?

A memo from Barrington Town Manager Phil Hervey to the town council referenced a potential parking change in the small lot near Gourley Field on Upland Way. Students have also started using that parking lot as an overflow to the main student lot. 

Hervey wrote: “Chief Correia’s recommendation to also establish time limits during school days for parking at Robert M. Gourley field off Upland Way (nine parking spaces plus an ADA space) would require a separate ordinance, which could be introduced in June for a public hearing at the meeting in late July.”