The University Park City Council approved the addition of the 3600 block of McFarlin Boulevard to the city’s parking district Tuesday night, but questioned the efficacy of continuing to do so.
More than 50 percent of the block’s residents approved the move, according to public works director Bud Smallwood. The need for the change was hastened by the use of the block by SMU’s food service employees, he said. As the parking districts have grown around the campus, employees are parking further into the neighborhoods and walking to work.
“What we’re doing is inconveniencing our resident to accomodate SMU employees,” said Councilman Bob Clark.
“But they gotta park somewhere,” responded Mayor Dick Davis.
The question (as always) is immediacy. The employees could park at Mockingbird Station and take the free Pony Express shuttle to campus, Smallwood said, but few do so. Parking on campus costs money, something a worker making minimum wage or slightly higher is unlikely to spring for.
The dance will continue.
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“We displace them from there, and the move somewhere else,” said police chief Gary Adams.
“This won’t end until [SMU] parks them on campus,” Clark said.
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