MARGARET F. McCANN
Fax: (919) 419-9119
E-mail: [email protected]
10 September 2007
Kevin C. Foy
Mayor
19 Oakwood Dr.
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
Dear Mr. Foy:
I am the writer of a letter to the editor about after-hours towing that received some attention in the Chapel Hill Herald recently. An article in response to my letter mentioned that downtown parking would be on the agenda for the Chapel Hill Town Council tonight, and so I was planning to attend, but when I checked the agenda I did not see this topic. Therefore, I’m sending you a letter instead.
Enclosed is a lengthier version of my letter, which I sent to the CEO of Panera Bread. (The only response I’ve received from Panera is a phone call from the regional franchise manager, who says that they would continue to tow.) Also enclosed are two photographs of the signs at the Panera Bread location on Franklin Street [street view] [close-up of sign].
There are two issues I’d like to raise with the Town Council. One is that of signage. As you can see from the enclosed photos, the main message of the signs is that parking is for customers only during business hours. The notice about after-hours parking is in much smaller type. When I showed these to my brother, who’s a sign-maker by profession, his response was that there are two messages on the sign, and they ought to be given equal billing. I’d also like to suggest that additional signs be posted where cars will see them once they’re parked; it’s impossible to read all of the text on the current signs when one is turning in from busy Franklin Street. I’m not sure how detailed your sign ordinance is, but the franchise operator made a point of telling me that their signs are in compliance with the Chapel Hill town sign ordinance, so I’d ask you to consider adding these points to regulations, if possible.
The second issue is that of the man who stopped to ask us if we’d like a ride to the towing lot. I doubt that this was a chance occurrence; it appears to me that he’s preying on people who are stuck. I think this issue merits some attention from the public safety people.
Thank you for “listening” to my concerns.
Sincerely,
Margaret F. McCann
CC: Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager
