BALTIMORE, Md. — 'No Parking' signs went up suddenly in Fells Point, banning overnight parking on the weekends. They came as a surprise to business owners like Patrick Russell at Kooper's Tavern, and Beth Hawks at Zelda Zen.
"There was no communication whatsoever," Russell told WMAR-2 News.
"None of us knew. We got on a text thread and it just went out like wildfire. People were in disbelief," Hawks said.
A spokesperson for the Mayor's office says they've been in regular contact with the Fells Point Residents Association and the Fells Point Main Street organization about the restrictions, and they'll be in place through the summer.
Roberto Cantro returned to Fells on Monday afternoon to find out how to get his car back. It got towed Sunday night while he was at a bar on Thames St.
"And by the time we were leaving between the two hours, my truck was gone," Roberto Cantro told WMAR-2 News.
He didn't see the signs that now read: "No Parking 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. Friday-Sunday." They're posted all around the busiest streets in the neighborhood.
"So they put the ticket first and then after the ticket they tow you away, like quick," Cantro said, adding that a police officer told him the tow truck was following directly behind the parking enforcement officer who was issuing tickets.
Business owners we talked to are worried that rather than risking getting ticketed or towed, people will just stop coming to Fells Point.
"Once a person comes, they get a ticket or they get towed they're never coming back," Hawks said. "They're gonna get so frustrated and it sends a message that Fells Points dangerous and that that's not the case."
The Mayor's office says the purpose behind the restrictions is "to establish a designated loading zone to support the logistical needs of events, performers, and related operations," but business owners believe it's the city's way of addressing what's become a summer tradition of sorts in the square - late night public drinking and selling alcohol illegally.
"Issue citations. That's what we need them to do is issue citations, not penalize the tax paying property owner bars and restaurants," Hawks said.
"They're not enforcing the laws that are on the books, so the next best thing is to go ahead and make it so that no one can actually be here to break the law," Russell said. "And so now you've just taken away all of the livelihood of hundreds of employees down here that make their money."
The Mayor's office did tell us that the city offers $5 discounted parking after 4 p.m. at the Fleet and Eden Street garage. But for musicians who play at the bars like Gina DeLuca, she doesn't feel safe walking a half mile with a pocket full of tips.
"I don't understand how suggesting that we all just walk to another neighborhood at 3 o'clock in the morning is a solution," she told WMAR-2 News. "We're gonna be sitting ducks, basically."
She was at The Cat's Eye Pub on Thames Street Friday night. When the towing started, she said the place cleared out.
"If there's no line for the women's bathroom at the Cat's Eye on a Friday, that's slow."
DeLuca also added, "There's already an issue in Fells Point for musicians - ever since they started blocking off the streets, they put the trucks at the end, and quite often they won't let you back in to get your equipment. It's an ordeal. So the musicians try to get parking on Thames Street or Broadway in the perimeter, which has all been taken away now. I spoke with someone at City Hall, and he assured me that musicians would be able to get in on Ann and Thames, and Friday night, the first day they implemented it, the musician couldn't get in."
Councilman Mark Parker, who represents Fells Point, tells WMAR-2 News in a statement:
"I appreciate the efforts over the past few years of the mayor and his team to focus on late night safety for everyone in this vibrant community and entertainment district. I recognize the significant disruptions that these changes to parking are causing for those who work in Fells Point and who operate businesses there, and I trust that further conversations among community stakeholders and city officials will yield some accommodations to help ensure that everyone can safely and responsibly enjoy summer evenings here and throughout the city."
The Mayor's Office sent us the following information:
Efforts are underway to establish a designated loading zone to support the logistical needs of events, performers, and related operations.
- Delivery Access Point: Vehicles for deliveries, load-ins, and loadouts (musicians, vendors, etc.) may enter at S. Ann Street and Thames Street
- Entry Protocol: Inform traffic personnel at the hard closure that you’re making a delivery, drop-off, or pickup.
- Exit Route: All vehicles must exit via Thames and Caroline Street after completing their task.
- Resident Access: Residents displaying a valid Residential Parking Permit (RPP) sticker may access any hard block location.
- Discounted Parking: The City, in coordination with the Parking Authority, offers $5 parking at the Fleet and Eden Street Garage after 4 p.m. to support event participants.
- Hotel Operations:
- Standard Procedure — Hotel guests can access hard closure points by informing traffic enforcement officers of their reservation.
- Routine Practice — Local hotels are accustomed to this process, which is implemented regularly on weekends.
Business owners in Fells Point express frustration over new weekend overnight parking ban