WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Residents in some of West Palm Beach's most historic neighborhoods say packed street parking, speeding cars and blocked driveways are creating safety hazards.
Neighbors in Northwood Hills and Mango Promenade say rapid growth without adequate infrastructure has turned quiet roads into tight corridors, making it difficult for residents to leave their homes and raising concerns about emergency vehicle access.
WATCH BELOW: Packed street parking creates safety hazards, residents tell WPTV
Mike Whitmire, a resident of Northwood Hills, said cars pack both sides of 29th Street, including commercial and broken-down vehicles.
"30% of the time I can't utilize my driveway," Whitmire said. "I have buyer's remorse."
Whitmire said the overcrowding creates a tight corridor, especially at night and on weekends.
"You can't get through it," he said.
Whitmire also expressed fear about speeding cars and the potential for pedestrians to be struck.
"We just had the hit and run right here," Whitmire said.
Whitmire said he has video showing an ambulance barely able to squeeze through the street. He says he contacted the city to ask for overnight parking bans, but said nothing has changed.
"I don't understand why they allow this," Whitmire said. "We have leaders here (who) just ignore the overcrowding."
Residents in the Mango Promenade historic district are experiencing similar issues on their narrow roads.
"Our cars can't get in and out of our driveway," resident Cynthia McAllister told WPTV this week.
"The city, I really hope, does something," resident Andrew Scharf told WPTV reporter Kayla McDermott.
McDermott reached out to the City of West Palm Beach to ask what action is being taken to ensure safety and if there is enough room for emergency vehicles.
A city representative said the city takes residents' concerns seriously and understands how increased demand for on-street parking impacts quality of life. While the city is not aware of specific parking issues in Northwood Hills, they monitor concerns as they arise.
The representative went on to say that residential streets are generally designed to accommodate parking on both sides while maintaining access for emergency vehicles. On narrower roadways, the city can evaluate and implement parking restrictions, such as limiting parking to one side.
Aside from investing in more development, increasing the population, Whitmire told McDermott that "they're more concerned by building high-rise kind of mediums, bringing more people to this area, and not really taking care of what's already here."
He also said a concern he has surrounds rental properties, "the overcrowding of the rental homes."
Whitmire said a home near him rents to far too many people, leading to an unnecessary number of cars parking on the street and yards.
"This front yard is loaded up with cars," Whitmire said.
In response to the claim that rentals have too many tenants, the city says it requires all rental units to obtain a license and undergo inspections to confirm code compliance. Residents are encouraged to report parking, safety, or code compliance concerns through the WPB Key app or website.
Currently, Whitmire said he has resorted to using his garbage can as a blockade to ensure he can leave his home.
"At the end of the day, the value of my home, the entire community, it's diminishing the value of it," Whitmire said.
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