By Dan O’Brien
Re “In Parking Dispute, Conflict of Interest Is Charged” and Letters to the Editor @ 4:00 PM September 10, 2014
[Editor’s Note: After his letter was posted yesterday, Mr. O’Brien sent the following note: “I'm afraid that readers may have misinterpreted the tenor of my letter largely based on the inflammatory heading which Ari Noonan wrote, “Protesting Farragut Residents Need a Dose of Reality.”.Just so you know, I did not write that and it definitely made the tone of my letter too aggressive for my liking. I would never have chosen those words. When I wrote my opinion, I did not ask him to post it as a response to any other letter. I just put the subject heading, ‘Re: Farragut Parking.’ While Mr. Greenberg's letter was offensive and mean-spirited, I wrote my opinion to stand on its own – not as a response to his letter.”]
When my family moved to idyllic Culver City in 2000, we chose a beautiful home just a few doors away from Veterans Park. We are also just a few blocks from CCHS, CCMS and Farragut Elementary School.
This location is ideal for us as we raise two children.
But I know that living within such close proximity to a public space and schools would create an overflow of activity onto our street, including cars parking in front of my home, and more than the usual amount of traffic and pedestrians. On any day, I can guarantee that a softball player, soccer mom or a number of people may park their car in front of my home, while not residing on my street.
I knew this would happen before I purchased my home.
For the families who live on Farragut Drive, adjacent to the schools, Grace Lutheran Church, and the businesses along Overland Avenue, the situation is similar to my own. The schools, the church, and the business district all existed in that area prior to the residents who live there.
To not expect patrons of those entities to park on neighboring streets is not acknowledging the reality of their choice of residency. If the residents of Farragut Drive don't like people who do not live there to park on their street, then they should not have moved there in the first place. This issue is an inevitable consequence of where they chose to live.
These are public streets. Grace Lutheran has been a neighbor of Farragut for over 60 years. The schools have been neighbors for over 60 years. The neighbors of Farragut Drive share the roadways with their neighbors, like it or not.
Mr. O’Brien may be contacted at beverlyanddan@icloud.com
