The board cited concerns about the parking
competition that would be brought by the MBTA through the city and
Cambridge residents who poach spots during the work day. Roughly one
third of Somerville has unregulated street parking, a majority of which
lies in the area that would be serviced by the green line extension.

"The green line is coming to the middle of Union Square," Ward 4 Aldermen Walter Pero said, noting

that
the red line extension to Davis Square brought permit restrictions to
protect residents from encroaching commuters. "We need to be preparing
the citizens. We might as well start training them now."

The unanimously approved order asking Director of Traffic and Parking James

Kotzuba
to examine the effect of unifying all streets within the permit system
was submitted by Ward 5 Alderman Sean O'Donovan and Alderman-at-Large
Bruce Desmond.

In addition to concerns that the green line would
bring more cars into Somerville, Ward 2 Alderman Maryann Heuston said
her constituents are constantly fighting for parking space with
Cambridge residents looking to avoid that city's stringent enforcement,
especially on Beacon Street.

"Ward 2 is essentially a parking lot for the city of Cambridge," she said. "People who live in Ward 2,

they can't park near where they live at all during the day."

Ward
7 Alderman Bob Trane, chairman of the Traffic and Parking Committee,
said Somerville residents are also avoiding permit regulations by
parking halfway across the city. He added that out-of-state plates are
also frequent on unregulated streets.

"We're losing a lot of revenue that should be coming into the city," Trane said. "These are people