WHITEHALL, Mich — City leaders in Whitehall are no longer pursuing a full ban on of street parking along Lake Street near the Lion's Den Park.
The park is a popular access point onto White Lake for anglers who ice fish.
In recent weeks, city leaders grew concerned about the safety of those parking on the west side of the street between the road edge and the pedestrian pathway.
Parking is currently prohibited on the east side of the street is already prohibited. The proposed traffic control order would have prohibited parking on the west side of Lake too.
Whitehall City Manager Scott Huebler tells 13 On Your Side the traffic control order under consideration will not move forward after hearing strong opposition from residents.
Concerned anglers say when the small Lion's Den parking lot is full parking along Lake Street is their only option to access White Lake at that location.
Some said the full street parking ban was passed they would have gone to other communities to fish and spend their money because the parking lot fills early in the morning nearly everyday.
"You have to get here early to get a spot in the parking lot," said Walt Bischoff an angler from the Muskegon
"It's may be when they're getting in and out of their cars it's a little on the dangerous side," added Ed Dombrowski from Whitehall. "For the number of years I've lived here, close to 40, I'm not aware of any serious accidents that have occurred."
City Manager Huebler says the Whitehall Police Department can still write tickets for other violations of local ordinances along Lake Street like parking that impedes traffic flow, parking on a sidewalk, and parking in the opposite direction of traffic.
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