WEST SPRINGFIELD – The ongoing issues with on-street parking near Memo’s Restaurant are the result of slow-moving governmental processes, according to one town councilor.

Dominic Pompi, owner of the popular breakfast and lunch spot, recently appeared before the City Council with a crowd of supporters and at its Citizen Speak Out complained that no parking signs on Norman Street adversely impact his business. He said the decision by a “previous regime” to put them up amounted to “spot zoning” and a punishment for running a successful business.

Councilor Daniel O’Brien, the current chair of the Traffic and Safety Committee, however, told Reminder Publications a compromise between Memo’s and residents upset with the business’ on-street parking had been reached, but getting the actual ordinance passed has taken longer than expected.

“The frustrating thing for us about the way we run our meetings is we can’t respond to people who speak during the Citizen’s Speak Out and we can’t explain what’s happening,” Councilor O’Brien said. “There were some things that were said that weren’t necessarily true just because [Pompi] just didn’t really understand some of what is going on. It’s frustrating because we can’t respond and clear up some of those things and we want to.”

In 2010, Memo’s moved from its original space at the corner of Memorial Avenue and Exposition Avenue now occupied by Lattitude Restaurant to its current home at 1272 Memorial St., on the corner of Norman Street.

Residents on Norman Street complained that patrons parking for the restaurant made it difficult for them to exit their driveways. Memo’s purchased another property for additional parking, but resultant changes in the city’s parking ordinances now prohibit parking on either side of the street for an 800-foot stretch down Norman Street starting from Memorial Drive. According to signs, parking is not allowed Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m..

Memo’s is open Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“That’s the issue Memo’s had,” Councilor O’Brien said. “He felt it was particularly intended for his business.”

The West Springfield parking ordinance also prohibits parking on the northeasterly side of the Norman Street – opposite Memo’s – at all times, according to Section 5I. Over the years, signs indicating that rule were either taken down or fell over and the city just recently took to replacing them, Councilor O’Brien said.

After meeting several times with the parties through 2016 and into 2017, the Traffic and Safety Committee found a compromise and began to put together an ordinance that would allow parking on the southern side of Norman Street, next to Memo’s, with parking prohibited at all times starting at the first property beyond Memo’s property line.

The compromise would allow for on-street parking next to Memo’s, provided it was not within 20 feet of the corner, as required by law.

“Over the summer, [Town Engineer] Jim Czach started working on that ordinance that would eliminate the timed parking and insert the no parking any time from that spot,” O’Brien said.

Earlier this fall, after public hearings and vetting by Town Attorney Kate O’Brien, the Traffic and Safety Committee voted to send the ordinance to the Town Council for a vote. However, the owner of 28 Norman St., a two-family house that immediately abuts the Memo’s back parking lot, stated they did not want a no-parking sign in front of their house because it would be restrictive to tenants, according to Councilor O’Brien.

Because of that, the ordinance needed to be re-written, then again checked by Attorney O’Brien before a vote by the Traffic and Safety Committee to send it to the Town Council for a vote.

“It’s the process that’s slow and we want to make sure it’s right,” Councilor O’Brien said. “In the past they didn’t make an ordinance in some places. If they didn’t want parking somewhere, they’d just put up a no parking sign.”

Councilor O’Brien added that while it’s taken a while, he believes the compromise will help Memo’s business and admitted he was taken aback by Pompi’s comments at the council meeting.

“I was very surprised that night. I understand he’s annoyed and he’s frustrated that the timed parking is still there, but we are working on it,” he said. “When we get the final ordinance back, it will benefit Memo’s quite a bit.”

Councilor O’Brien also noted that Memo’s isn’t the first business to encounter issues regarding parking and traffic, a symptom of the area’s unusual zoning.

“It’s a strangely zoned district,” he said. “It’s a complete mix of businesses and residential properties and each one has different needs and those don’t always mix.”

A message for comment from representatives of Memo’s was not returned.