Update: Bend officials outline plans to ease Galveston parking woes

Bend city officials say they have a plan in the works to help ease the parking issues in the Northwest Galveston Avenue neighborhood.

Some neighbors living off Federal and 12th streets say their neighborhood is being overrun by cars looking for place to park The say local pubs around the area attract many patrons, but don’t add enough parking for them.

Nick Arnis, the city’s transportation manager, told NewsChannel 21 Wednesday officials are working on installing more diagonal parking along the Harmon and Columbia triangle.

NewsChannel 21’s Pedro Quintana will have more details on the plan starting on Fox at Four and NBC 5:00, 6:00 p.m.

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His earlier story:

Many residents living near Bend’s Northwest Galveston Avenue say they are fed up with cars taking their parking spaces, and other issues from nearby businesses as well.

Sunriver Brewing Co. is is expanding with a patio out back of the pub, and that has some neighbors concerned about the noise level.

Madeleine Simmons, who has lived in the neighborhood for about 15 years, said Monday the noise and parking problems have grown as more businesses continue to open up on Galveston.

“Our neighborhood is currently turned into a parking lot,” she said.

Simmons said more families are looking to move somewhere else in the city to get away from the noise.

Another neighbor, Toddy Ortiz, said she was attracted to the neighborhood by the peace and quiet. But now, she just sees rows of cars on a daily basis, from the afternoon well into the evening.

“I get tired of calling,” Ortiz said. “I don’t call the cops any more. I get tired of it.”

Simmons said 12th Street has turned into a parking lot, with many people parking in the neighborhood and walking to the pub restaurants like 10 Barrel Brewing and Sunriver Brewing Co.

Sunriver Brewing Co. said they’ve gotten feedback from residents around the area and are working at addressing those issues by encouraging employees to walk or bike to work.

The brewing company also said they are working to be better neighbors than other businesses in the past.

“We want to do a great job, as far as responding,” Sunriver Brewing Co., Chief Operating Officer Karin Devencenzi. “Ad like I said, we are really grateful to be in the neighborhood, and we want to the community to really be happy that we’re there too.”

The company official said they are also putting out a contact list for neighbors to reach them, if they have any questions or concerns.