AVALON PARK, Fla. – Changes are happening in Orlando's Avalon Park neighborhood.
On Tuesday, Orange County commissioners approved the installation of street signs along narrow roads in the community.
In addition, parking on both sides of the street is no longer allowed. Motorists can now only park along the same side of the street where fire hydrants are placed.
Orange County Commissioner Jennifer Thompson has been pushing for years to make this change happen.
"The media pressure and the extra citizen pressure allowed, gave me a little bit of push and gave me more of a table to stand on to say, 'Hey, look, I am getting all of this pressure from the community. I need to find a way outside of the current process' and that's kind of what we were able to do," Thompson said.
She said a News 6 story in November 2016 about Avalon Park resident Russ Mozier, who had to wait for help after he called 911.
"They said it took him a little extra time to get here. That they had come in through Paradise Tree back there and with the parking on the curb they couldn't get through the cars," Mozier said during a 2016 interview with News 6 reporter Nadeen Yanes.
Since his interview with News 6, he has been working to get some changes in his neighborhood.
Thompson credits media attention and Mozier's persistence in getting a change.
"It was at the point when you guys ran the story that a gentleman had a 911 call and the firetruck had a hard time getting to their house because there was parking on both sides of the street and the firetruck just wouldn't fit through the road," Thompson said. "I think that when there is media pressure and there's citizen pressure, it absolutely helps get results. But, I think, ultimately there is a process that is in place and a lot of times we have to follow that process."
Street sign installations will begin in phases beginning with the northeast section of Avalon Park in the Golden Raintree Boulevard area. It will take several weeks to install the signs.
County leaders will work with the Orange County Sheriff's Office in regard to violators, but Thompson said there will be a grace period in the beginning to work out any kinks with the new changes.
For a list of where the signs will be placed, click here.