A long-standing conflict over paid parking in the Solnechny district of Yekaterinburg has resurfaced, marked by acts of vandalism and differing opinions among residents. A self-proclaimed activist is reportedly damaging parking barriers, claiming to fight against what they believe is an unfair system.

The core of the dispute lies between the property developer, apartment owners, and residents regarding access to driveways between residential buildings. The developer implemented a system of paid parking, restricting access with barriers and charging fees for parking and passage, which has been a source of contention for years. Some residents argue that they should have unrestricted access to their homes and the roads within the area.

However, other residents support the paid parking system, citing the order and improved maintenance it brings to the area. Vsevolod, a resident of two years, believes that the barriers have significantly improved the neighborhood, maintaining that before their installation, parking was chaotic, with cars parked haphazardly. He acknowledges minor issues with the system, such as occasional glitches with the barriers, but considers them insignificant.

Vsevolod highlights the availability of parking spaces and the affordability of the fees. He mentions that parking inside the block costs 10 rubles per hour from 5 PM to 7 AM and is free during the day, while surface parking lots charge 7 rubles per hour. He also notes that residents can use a mobile application to check the number of available parking spaces, and that the money collected is used for landscaping and maintenance.

Vsevolod argues that the barriers effectively filter out non-residents during evening and nighttime hours, ensuring that residents have parking spaces available. He criticizes those who damage the barriers, accusing them of using anarchist rhetoric to justify vandalism. He emphasizes that the driveways are private property and that the municipality would not maintain them adequately.