During its meeting Tuesday at 9 a.m. in City Hall, Roxboro City Council will consider making the portion of Long Avenue near the entrance to the headquarters of the Person County Recreation Arts and Parks Department at 425 Long Ave. a no parking area.

Last month, PCRAPD director Mitch Pergerson requested the no parking zone in a letter to City Manager Jon Barlow. The request pertained solely to the side of Long Avenue on which the Sansbury gym is located.

Parking on that side of the street, according to Pergerson, “…is a hazard for visitors exiting and entering the parking lot onto or from Long Avenue….the present situation is unsafe.”

Pergerson pointed out that no parking signs are located on the north side of Long Avenue.

“Would it be in the best interest to prohibit parking on the south side of the street from Reade Drive to Morgan Street also?” Pergerson asked, adding, “We have ample parking in the upper parking lot adjacent to Morgan Street.”

After receiving the request from Pergerson, Barlow asked Roxboro Police Chief Jeff Insley to review parking on Long Avenue around the Sansbury gym.

In a written report to Barlow, Insley noted that “in doing this review we used the stealth box and visual inspection of parking on the roadway during athletic events.”

Insley’s review found:

• Parking near the gate (parking lot entrance) poses a vision obstruction for vehicles leaving the lot;

• 10,033 vehicles traveled that road over a four-day period, an average of 2,500 per day;

• Average speed was 25 miles per hour, but one vehicle was traveling 61 miles per hour.”

Insley’s recommendations for council include placing no parking signs near the gate opening to the end of the fence on each end of the Sansbury property.

“This should address the vision obstruction leaving the lot,” Insley noted.