Council Nixes Parking Along Narrow Road

The Quinlan City Council has approved a set of ordinances it hopes will prevent traffic problems due to parked cars.

The major change concerns portions of Northside and Elm streets, both narrow in width. Parking will no longer be allowed along the east and west directional portions of those streets.

"It is a 12-foot wide street and considered one lane," city consultant Billy Green said.

"My main concern is a police car, ambulance or fire truck being able to get through if needed," council member Carole Petty said in voting for the ordinance.

The ordinance passed 4-0 with council member Richard Whitehead abstaining because he owns property on a different section of Elm Street.

The council also approved an ordinance prohibiting parking along the entire length of the roadway on Windmill Circle. A third ordinance, addressing the current prohibition of parking on Panther Path, was updated to change the building name to Thompson Middle School.

Also in Monday’s session, the council authorized $150,000 for a set of street improvements.

Green said the work is planned to cover the south side of Richmond Street, along with South Edwards, South James, South Kuykendall, Ashley and South Martin streets.

"With this, we will have covered the old part of town," he said. "If any (material) tonnage remains, we will go down Myers with it."

Green said the city was able to "piggyback" with Dallas County on a materials purchase agreement.

In other matters, the council took the following action:

— Annexed three tracts of land located in the George Pollett Survey, Abstract No. 821, referred to as the "Bullard Annexation," and zoned as commercial non-conforming use.

— Denied a request for a zoning change from residential to commercial for property located at 505 E. Richmond Ave. in the Terrell Addition.

— Took no action on an ordinance amending the existing gas franchise between the city and Atmos Energy Corporation providing for a franchise rate increase up to 5 percent of the gross revenues.

— Took no action on an issue with road repair charges billed to Dilip Mehta at 119 Cagle St. for water line and tap installation. Mehta spoke to the council on Monday, saying the charges were excessive.