After taking political heat for months over the District’s plan to start ticketing Sunday churchgoers who violate city parking regulations, Mayor Anthony Williams said he is imposing a moratorium on increased enforcement until a “happy” compromise can be reached.
City officials have overlooked parking violations by those attending religious services for decades, but a crop of new homeowners has grown increasingly frustrated by double-parking that blocks in their vehicles and essentially shuts down streets. The situation has been made worse by the lack of affordable parking for many congregations as a result of the recent redevelopment boom.
Williams said he will appoint a task force to bring together residents, clergy, merchants, neighborhood leaders and city officials to come up with a compromise “that penalizes neither neighborhood residents nor worshippers.”
Williams said stepped-up enforcement, originally scheduled to be phased in starting next month, will be delayed until August.
City officials have tried to work with several of the city’s 600 congregations to expand off-street parking.
“I don’t want to penalize congregations that have been part of the fabric of our city for generations,” Williams said. “Likewise, we can’t penalize District residents just because they live near a church. This problem has festered for too many years.”
The announcement of the task force came a day after church leaders and city officials rallied in Logan Circle.
Sunday struggle
» Residents have complained hundreds of worshippers are clogging neighborhood streets in Logan Circle, Capitol Hill and others.
» City officials said cars blocking hydrants are creating a safety hazard.
» Church officials said enforcement forces parishioners to attend services elsewhere.
