New restaurant causes parking disruptions

During the Citizen Communications at the Austin city council meeting Oct. 24, Dolores Duffie, a resident on Cherrywood Road northeast of the University of Texas campus, voiced her concerns regarding some parking disruptions in her neighborhood.

The disruptions came after the building of Haymaker, a sandwich restaurant/bar recently opened in September on the corner of Manor and Cherrywood Road. Due to the restaurant’s limited parking spaces, Haymaker’s customers have resulted to parking in surrounding neighborhoods. Duffie said these customers have caused a rise in problems in her neighborhood regarding their parking.

“From the 2900 block up to the 3200 of Cherrywood Road, you cannot park,” said Duffie during her time at the meeting. “[The customers] park across your drive, and you can’t get in or out. I don’t have a problem as long as they don’t block my driveway, but they have.”

Haymaker’s customers have begun parking in neighborhood public streets due to the restaurant’s limited amount of parking space. 

Duffie said the customers have also moved residents’ trashcans in order to park, usually placing them in the middle of their lawns and parking in places where the residents cannot enter or exit their house. She also said some safety issues are involved with these parking problems.

“A lot of us are seniors,” said Duffie. “Three people have disabilities that need EMS from time to time and cannot get to them. We know we can’t stop parking, but someone has to reach a happy medium with us as a community.”

Residents of Cherrywood Road have complained Haymaker’s patrons move their trashcans and blocked driveways in order to find parking spots. “We know that’s a public street,” said Cherrywood Road resident Dolores Duffie. “But they park across your drive, and you can’t get in or out.” 

Councilman Mike Martinez was one of the few council members who responded to Duffie’s concerns at the meeting.  While most of the citizens that speak during the Citizen Communications didn’t receive a response from the council members, Martinez showed interest in Duffie’s comments and gave her more information about the parking situation.

“The restaurant does have the number of required parking spaces for the size of the restaurant, but there is a parking issue,” said Martinez. “Haymaker is currently in conversation with every neighboring property that potentially has parking spaces available and are trying to work out agreements with them so that they can take customers off Cherrywood Road and let them park on those respective lots.”

Councilman Mike Martinez said Gene Johnson Automotive and Haymaker are currently trying to reach an agreement that would allow the restaurant’s customers to park there after Gene Johnson closes. “Gene Johnson closes at 5 p.m., so Haymaker customers would be able to park there after that time,” said Martinez. 

In a separate interview, Councilman Martinez specified what Haymaker was doing in order to find a resolution to the parking issue. He said Haymaker is contemplating using Gene Johnson Automotive Services’ parking lot when they close in the afternoon. If the two businesses agree on this proposal, Haymaker customers would be able to park in that lot after 5 p.m. Martinez also said Haymaker is considering using a valet service. If these issues linger, Martinez said another option is for residents to apply for Residential Permit Parking.

“Residential Permit Parking is based on issues caused in the community,” said Martinez. “You’d have to have a permit to park in certain areas. It is an option being discussed.”

Vortex is one of the few surrounding businesses Haymaker is considering to use for additional parking space. “We are currently reaching out to businesses and lots in the area in attempts to secure additional parking for our patrons,” said Keith Sandel, one of the owners of Haymaker. 

Residential Permit Parking is a program to help residents find available parking in neighborhoods surrounded by properties with businesses. According to the City of Austin website, the program’s “desired outcome is to increase the amount of on-street parking available to residents and their guests while balancing the needs of others who desire to park along the street.” An application process is available on the website, along with guidelines and procedures about the program.

Keith Sandel, one of the owners of Haymaker, said the restaurant has been very busy since its opening and possible solutions are being discussed for the disruption. He said this has caused their patrons to park on the public streets, and the restaurant has received complaints from neighborhood residents, especially on Cherrywood, about the patrons blocking their driveways.

Haymaker is searching for any additional parking to help alleviate the parking disruptions with neighborhood residents since its recent opening in September. 

“We immediately posted signs on our entrances reminding our patrons to not block residential driveways,” said Sandel. “We are also planning on attending the next Cherrywood Neighborhood Association in order to discuss their concerns and have invited a City of Austin representative to join us in order to clear up any questions that may arise concerning COA rules and regulations.”

Martinez said he realizes residents feel like curb space in their neighborhood is theirs, but the streets are publicly available to patrons as well. To help eliminate the disruptions, customers need to be educated about where to park on the curbs, he said.

“We’re going to have to step up enforcement if this continues,” said Martinez. “We want the business to thrive, but we also don’t want the neighborhood residents to have negative experiences with Haymaker.”