MONROE - The plan to install four parking stalls, one on each side of the downtown Square, was approved by the Monroe Public Safety Committee Monday.
Alderman Tom Miller had proposed the idea of 15-minute stalls near the crosswalks on each side of the outer lane of traffic in the downtown district. On Monday, the committee changed the time restriction to 10 minutes.
Director of Public Works Al Gerber said in previous talks, aldermen had said they would prefer uniform spots on each side. Since then, the plan was altered to ensure the stall closest to the central crosswalk on each side will be short-term.
Miller said he has confidence that the time restriction will be respected and noted in other places "most people follow it."
In the past, council had discussed enforcing timed parking throughout the entire Square, but deferred plans due to the cost during discussion of the 2017 budget last year. Mayor Louis Armstrong performed a parking study over the summer, which revealed turnover was not causing a lack of business downtown. He said people simply were not visiting the area as frequently as in the past.
In discussion, fellow council member Chris Beer added that nearby businesses had advocated for more control over the parking to increase customer turnover and limit the time people parked.
"You'd hope the businesses would self-police that too," Beer said.
The committee agreed to the plan on a unanimous vote.
Alderman Tom Miller had proposed the idea of 15-minute stalls near the crosswalks on each side of the outer lane of traffic in the downtown district. On Monday, the committee changed the time restriction to 10 minutes.
Director of Public Works Al Gerber said in previous talks, aldermen had said they would prefer uniform spots on each side. Since then, the plan was altered to ensure the stall closest to the central crosswalk on each side will be short-term.
Miller said he has confidence that the time restriction will be respected and noted in other places "most people follow it."
In the past, council had discussed enforcing timed parking throughout the entire Square, but deferred plans due to the cost during discussion of the 2017 budget last year. Mayor Louis Armstrong performed a parking study over the summer, which revealed turnover was not causing a lack of business downtown. He said people simply were not visiting the area as frequently as in the past.
In discussion, fellow council member Chris Beer added that nearby businesses had advocated for more control over the parking to increase customer turnover and limit the time people parked.
"You'd hope the businesses would self-police that too," Beer said.
The committee agreed to the plan on a unanimous vote.