Jim Thorpe Borough Council encouraged two neighbors to work out their differences over a parking issue before advertisement of an ordinance stemming from the complaint comes up for vote next week.

Al Lasky, who has a primary residence in New Jersey but also owns property on Main Street in the borough, attended Thursday night's workshop to voice his opposition to a proposed ordinance that would prohibit parking "in the area of 420 Main St., east for 175 feet."The issue began last month, when resident Amanda Hydro told council that Lasky's car, when parked on her side of the street, made it difficult for her to see when pulling out of her driveway.Police measurements show it is 108 feet from the end of the Hydro driveway to where Lasky, who owns a home across the street, parks.Council expressed concern over the narrowness of the road and the ability of an emergency vehicle to get through, a problem that could be alleviated if one side was designated "no parking.""Times have changed and there is more traffic on that street now," Council President Greg Strubinger said. "We have to evaluate if this is a potential hazard because two cars can't get down the street at the same time."For Lasky, the solution is clear: Keep things the way they are now."I've been parking there for 51 years and there has never been an issue," Lasky told council. "She (Hydro) didn't have a sight issue for six or seven months before this became a problem."Lasky and his wife have only owned the Main Street property since 2014, though they visited when family owned the home.Hydro said there is plenty of room for Lasky to park the car on his side of the street and that his neighbor had even offered him a spot in front of their home.According to Lasky, however, that offer was never put on the table."I'm an old man. Where will I park my car up there?" he said. "You'll be forcing us to move."Councilman Jay Miller said he didn't want to see anyone move out of the borough and urged both sides to come together on a resolution.The two sides are unlikely to get together, however, as Hydro said Lasky had followed her to her place of employment and she didn't feel safe speaking to him.Police Chief Joe Schatz said his officers did tell Lasky he had no business being there that day."There are parking issues all over Jim Thorpe," Mayor Michael Sofranko said. "In reality, this is a dispute between neighbors. My answer has always been, if you can't get along and come to an agreement over a parking space, then we just get the parking off the street."