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<p>PLAINS TWP. &#8212; Newly posted signs prohibiting parking in an alley near Poplar Street have pitted a small sect of neighborhood residents against township officials who maintain the decision was warranted.</p><p>Decades of unimpeded parking privilege came to an abrupt halt after township officials in August passed a resolution banning parking on the south side of the unnamed alley, which runs between Mercer and Warner streets and parallel to Poplar Street.</p><p>The sudden restriction has forced residents into an even greater competition for open spaces on Poplar Street, which is already starved for ample parking, according to residents&#8217; claims.</p><p>The ruling, made effective Aug. 14 by the Plains Township Board of Commissioners, came per the recommendation of a Plains Township police officer who in July performed a traffic study in response to complaints that parking was impeding traffic flow, according to the street survey report.</p><p>Ray Deiter, who lives at 43 Poplar Street, believes the neighborhood should have had input in the ruling.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a major change,&#8221; Deiter said. &#8220;It&#8217;s not fair to Poplar Street now.&#8221;</p><p>Irene and Joseph Shinski, who live at 48 Poplar St. and have a two-space carport that leads into the alley, questioned the credibility of the report, including the officer&#8217;s determination that the signs should be posted despite reporting a &#8220;light&#8221; volume of vehicle traffic and zero accidents in the last three years.</p><p>Stephen Menn, township solicitor, said the board typically stands behind officers&#8217; recommendations.</p><p>&#8220;Normally the township will file the recommendations of the police officer after the study,&#8221; Menn said. &#8220;I know the board has received it and felt based upon review of the traffic study and complaints they received from people that it was best to place the signs.&#8221;</p><p>Joseph Shinski said Poplar can&#8217;t absorb more cars anyway, making the signs redundant.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a simple matter,&#8221; Joseph Shinski said. &#8220;Take the no parking signs down. Take them all down.&#8221;</p><p>In an attempt to address residents&#8217; concerns, Menn said township officials submitted an offer to purchase a vacant property at 42 Poplar St. with the intention of creating a public parking lot.</p><p>&#8220;We offered them the appraised value for a lot so that we could tear it down so it&#8217;s not an eyesore and also to alleviate some parking issues,&#8221; he said. Menn, however, said the bank has &#8220;not been receptive&#8221; to the township&#8217;s offer.</p><p>Should the parking lot materialize, Joseph Shinski said he&#8217;ll refuse to park there.</p><p>&#8220;You&#8217;re going to have people slamming the doors and whatever else,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I would never do it.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Some residents claim newly posted signs in an alley behind Poplar Street in Plains Township are congesting an area already starved for ample parking. However, the township stands behind a traffic survey declaring the signs warranted. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_ttl100615poplarJD21.jpg</photo0><caption0>Some residents claim newly posted signs in an alley behind Poplar Street in Plains Township are congesting an area already starved for ample parking. However, the township stands behind a traffic survey declaring the signs warranted. </caption0><photoCredit0>Sean McKeag | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_ttl100615poplarJD11.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">To help address parking, the township submitted an offer to purchase a vacant home on Poplar Street which would be converted into a parking lot. The two sides appear to be far apart on the price tag, according to a township official. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_ttl100615poplarJD11.jpg</photo1><caption1>To help address parking, the township submitted an offer to purchase a vacant home on Poplar Street which would be converted into a parking lot. The two sides appear to be far apart on the price tag, according to a township official. </caption1><photoCredit1>Sean McKeag | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Joe Dolinsky</p><p>jdolinsky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Joe Dolinsky at 570-991-6110 or on Twitter @JoeDolinskyTL</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Residents, Plains Township officials clash over prohibited parking conflict