Lewes to ‘squeeze the balloon’ on parking

Lewes Councilman Joe Elder passed out filled balloons to his colleagues, props he connected to the new parking initiative he is leading.

Elder has named the project, “Squeeze the Balloon.” It even has a flashy logo.

He had council members squeeze their balloons to illustrate his working group’s goal.

“When we solve a problem in one area, it squeezes out in another. This is what’s been happening here in Lewes,” he said. “Three times we haven’t been able to get the parking straightened out, but we are going to do it as a group, squeeze the balloon in a way that solves these problems. This is the start of an exciting adventure.”

Elder gave his demonstration at the Feb. 25 mayor and council working session. His parking working group is scheduled to hold its first public meeting at 9 a.m., Friday, Feb. 27 at city hall.

Other members of the working group are Tom Spell, Lewes police chief; Betsy Reamer, Lewes Chamber of Commerce executive director; Lisa McDonald, owner of Nectar Cafe & Juice Bar; and residents Catherine Dunning Catanach and Larry Franz.

Elder said the group will take a deep dive into parking on the town side of the city in an effort to improve access, safety and traffic flow.

“This review is about making sure our parking system works for everyone – residents, businesses and visitors,” Elder said.

The working group is looking at ways to promote turnover in the business district, possibly by enforcing a three-hour limit in all municipal parking lots in the off season.

Dunning Catanach lives on West Market Street and represents residents on the working group. She said neighborhoods feel the pressure in the summer.

“Employees come in and park all day,” she said. “People from Hotel Rodney park all day. Airbnbs park all day. Even if there is parking provided, they go to the street. Some of our elderly residents are fearful to leave their house because they will not be able to park close to their home.”

Reamer said business owners have been able to collaborate with the city in the past on meters and parking. She said current policies are based on surveys of businesses done during the administration of former Mayor Ted Becker.

She said any new solutions must strike a balance.

“We don’t want to be responsible for having unintended consequences, pushing people out of the lots and into the neighborhoods,” Reamer said.

Last year, the city launched a mobility parking pilot program that allows residents with mobility issues to park in front of their homes. 

Spell said six people have been approved for the program. The city has painted markings in front of their homes indicating reserved spaces.

“Zero fines, zero complaints,” Spell said, when asked about the pilot’s success.

Mayor Amy Marasco said council should consider making the pilot program permanent before it expires at the end of the year.

“Squeeze the Balloon” is only focused on parking on the west side of the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal.

The city’s economic, environment and resiliency commission is working on its own initiative for parking on Cedar Street and side streets on the beach side.

Their project is in collaboration with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. 

Lewes, and all coastal communities, must satisfy DNREC public-access requirements to qualify for future beach replenishment. A plan must be submitted by July 1.

Deputy Mayor Khalil Saliba, who chairs EERC, said after meeting with DNREC he is confident Lewes is in a good position.

“We’ve identified 397 available parking spots, and we said we would look at how to either delineate them or, more likely, post signs where you can’t park,” Saliba said at the Feb. 11 EERC meeting.

In 2021, Saliba was a member of a beach parking committee that proposed summer parking permits on the beach side. The proposal failed due to a lack of support on council, according to Saliba.