'No parking' signs pop up over Cary neighborhood

The Meadows at Olde Carpenter neighborhood has 69 homes and 52 no parking signs.

"It really makes the neighborhood look really ugly," said resident Liz Mackie. "We even have signs right next to fire hydrants, even signs in places not big enough for cars to be parked."

"Everybody that walks out of their house is looking at one or in direct view of one," resident Kathy Forgacs said.

Cary town officials and developer Joel Carpenter said that because of its narrow roads, the subdivision needs to have the streets clear of parked vehicles to make room for fire trucks and other emergency vehicles.

The developer had three choices: set up no parking signs every 50 feet, stencil "no parking" on the street every 50 feet or paint the curb yellow.

Carpenter said the paint and stencils are so expensive that putting up the signs was the least expensive option.

Residents said that their homeowners' association is working with Cary town staff to see if pavement markings can replace many of the signs.

Forgas tried to find some fun the nuisance. She hung some signs with Christmas wreaths.

"Just to try to make light of a strange situation, instead of getting upset about it," she said.