The Worcester County Commissioners voted May 6 to ban on-street parking on Snug Harbor Road and to defer final approval of one-sided parking in the Landings at Bayside after a public hearing that produced competing public-safety and convenience arguments.

Why it matters: residents said parked vehicles can block emergency access on the narrow Snug Harbor corridor, where several speakers and the county fire marshal described the road as narrower than standards for emergency apparatus. Opponents warned that eliminating street parking would reduce homeowner flexibility and could create inconvenience during family gatherings and construction activities.

At the hearing, dozens of residents from both neighborhoods testified. Sarah Gorfinkel, speaking as a resident of the Landings at Bayside, submitted a petition of roughly 50 signatures and said limiting parking to one side ‘‘would make a tremendous difference in how emergency vehicles could access our homes.’’ Bill Romeo, who said he is a Snug Harbor Civic Association member, described Snug Harbor Road as sometimes less than 19 feet wide and cited a prior local traffic fatality to underline the safety concerns.

The county fire marshal told commissioners the minimum standard for a fire lane is 20 feet and that vehicles parked on both sides ‘‘will bottleneck’’ emergency apparatus, especially where trucks must extend outriggers. The fire marshal agreed with public commenters that Snug Harbor Road’s geometry creates safety risk if vehicles remain on both sides.

Following public comment, a motion approved by the board directs public works to install no-parking signage on Snug Harbor Road and to hold off installing one-sided parking in Bayside until emergency services and county staff provide further operational input. The recorded vote was unanimous.

Ending: Public works staff told the board they had halted sign installation after initial votes in November and brought the issue back for the public hearing. Commissioners said the two neighborhoods present different conditions; Snug Harbor’s narrow, older layout prompted immediate no-parking action, while the newer Bayside development will require additional technical review and consultation with emergency services before a one-sided parking plan can be finalized.