Parking on Valley Street in MaryD will not be permitted on the right or north side of the street, unless it can be done on private property, or behind a line.

That was the product of a lengthy discussion the Schuylkill Township supervisors had at their first regular meeting of 2023 on Tuesday night.

Valley Street is a two-way street which has a varying width throughout its length. At some points, it is not wide enough for two autos to pass at the same time.

Supervisors Chairman Charles Fayash said the township engineer, Alfred Benesch and Co., has recommended no parking be permitted along the entire length of the street on the east side.

But supervisors Gary Feathers and Charles Hosler said people, who have been parking there for years, will be up in arms.

Hosler, who lives on the west side of the street, said that although some people have off-street parking behind their houses, they may choose to park on the west or south side of the street, which would clog it up.

“Now, if cars can’t pass and have to wait for another car to pass, it slows traffic up,” Hosler said. “If you ban parking on the east side, you will open it up to be a speedway.”

Fayash said there are contradictory ordinances on the books, which have to be cleaned up. For instance, some of the ordinances concern no parking near three churches that are no longer churches.

Fayash recommended, and his fellow supervisors agreed, to look at them during the next supervisors’ workshop meeting.

Once the old ordinances are rescinded and a new ordinance is in place, the supervisors will have lines painted that will show where people can park. They must be able to park behind those lines to park legally. Signs to coincide with the new ordinance and the painted lines will also be erected.

Fayash said the 100-block is too narrow for any parking. The issue is in the 200- and 300-blocks.