Cutting Room Floor: Bikers in Hillsborough

Since I tend to be the audience of one for many of Hillsborough's town board meetings, I try to make an effort to write prodigiously about town government happenings to share what likely very few people will hear otherwise. Sometimes, the board will discuss things that are interesting but short and non-binding, meaning they talk but no action is taken. I wanted to post some of my notes about their recent work session because their next meeting is coming up, likely meaning decision items will push this stuff back or out of the paper.

I also wrote up some notes on another subject, the U.S. 70/Cornelius Street incubator, but it will probably blossom into an article in the next few weeks as I learn more. Anyways, here's my notes on bikers, which won't see the light of print unless they formally propose a policy:

Board debates drawbacks, benefits of bikers in town

The revving sounds residents can hear on weekends down Churton Street could prompt Hillsborough town board members to reconsider its stance on bikers.

At a work session June 22, board members discussed what, if anything, the town could do to reduce the impact of motorcycles on restaurant customers downtown, particularly on weekends.

Board member Eric Hallman said he had been receiving complaints recently about customers at restaurants along Churton Street who said their outdoor dining was disrupted by the sound of revving motorcycles. He told other board members they should entertain solutions that benefit everybody involved.

“We don’t want to deter our motorcycle friends,” he said. “They spend money, too.”

The complaints stem from the presence of motorcycles parking on the west side of Churton Street on weekends.

Board members said they would want business owners’ perspective on the issue before they entertained any further steps, such as limiting the hours parking can take place on certain curbside spots or creating car- and truck-only parking spaces.

Commissioner Brian Lowen said the town could need to address this with more motorcycles than just the few that populate downtown on weekends. He said he had received notice a motorcycle club will be holding monthly meetings in the southern part of town, bringing an obvious boost to local businesses but also possibly raising concerns.

“It’s a different kind of traffic,” he said.

Hillsborough Police Chief Clarence Birkhead, a motorcycle owner, had a different view on the subject.

The town has already seen three meetings of motorcycle clubs this year, he said, and he is not aware of any towns that forbid motorcycle parking.

“Being a biker, you want to go out, buy a spirit or two and talk about the bikes out front with other bikers,” he said.