MARION — The Marion Select Board approved a motion to line the Island Wharf parking lot with approximately 75 angled parking spaces and an estimated 3 handicap spots at a meeting on Tuesday, August 5. 

The parking lot is currently unmarked, and the proposal was approved to paint the lot with identifiable spots to allow for increased parking capacity and an organized flow of traffic. 

“Organization of parking is a big deal,” said Select Board Chair Randy Parker, adding that marking definitive spots will make the lot “more efficient.”

With angled parking, vehicles will now follow an organized one-way entrance and exit system. Harbormaster Adam Murphy said the department will soon begin using cones and temporary signs to guide traffic in the lot.

John Rockwell, Chair of the Open Space Acquisition Commission, stated that the “parking lot was designed for angled parking” and painting these definitive lines will allow for the “maximum amount of parking with a minimum amount of pavement.”

For Marion officials, this is just the first step to resolve the issue of parking congestion at Island Wharf.

During the discussion, members of various boards continued to disagree on the use of the green space next to Island Wharf and the Robert O. Broomhead Bandstand for parking. The grass in the area is often used for overflow parking during larger events near the wharf.

Select Board member Norman Hills opposed the use of the grass for parking.

He emphasized that residents “shouldn’t be parking on conservation and park land” and he suggested that the board seek alternative parking solutions in nearby areas rather than continuing to permit usage of the green space for vehicles.

Select Board Member John Hoagland suggested that the town should limit that amount of time residents can park in the grass and punish unauthorized vehicles with fines.

“The idea is to keep off the grass,” said Hoagland.

Murphy stated that asking residents to park further away from the wharf would potentially “cause a lot of delay” for boaters and intensify traffic congestion.

“If we push people further away, it’ll bottleneck,” he said.

Planning Board Chair Andrew Daniel supported the use of the green space for parking, stating that Marion will “not continue to grow” if the town continues to limit resources like parking which impact local businesses.

The Select Board concluded the discussion with a unanimous vote to approve lining the parking lot, and stated it would continue to review suggestions from the Marine Resource Commission and Harbormaster Department as they seek to fully resolve the issue of parking at Island Wharf.