MONROE - City staff are working on new 15-minute parking stalls to be placed on each side of the Square as a way to reduce the number of vehicles parked along the stalls for hours throughout the day.
Alderman Tom Miller brought the issue to the Public Safety Committee last week as a talking point regarding a lack of parking spaces in the downtown area. Discussion in the past has focused on how to enforce timed parking throughout the entire area, but budgeting for a new program including a vendor and new software was not feasible for this year.
"It would be a spot on each side in order to get in and out," Miller said. "Timed parking has been talked about for years and nothing has been done."
Monroe Police Chief Fred Kelley recommended that if a 15-minute sign was posted on side of the Square, that uniformity should be followed along the other three sides.
Alderwoman Brooke Bauman agreed.
"I think we just need to be consistent," Bauman said.
Committee members agreed timed stalls by the crosswalk in the middle of the outer ring of each Square block would be best for consistency and accessibility to the sidewalk. Another advantage would be more visibility for pedestrians during the time the stalls are open.
Kelley said the four timed parking spots were a start. He pointed to the parking study conducted in the summer of 2015 and the recommendations made as part of its results. Namely, that if the municipal parking ramp were demolished, timed parking would need to be enforced in the area.
Language in the parking code drafted in 2010 allows for the establishment of time limits by way of a resolution agreed upon by council. Assistant City Administrator Martin Shanks, Director of Public Works Al Gerber and Kelley will work together to create a resolution and configure sign placement identifying each of the timed spaces.
Members of the committee talked over options and discussed the lack of room in the budget to accommodate the cost of time enforcement. The city would need to hire a person to hand out tickets and monitor the area in addition to purchasing new technology. Aldermen decided to talk again in the future about putting time limits on parking spots after the four slots were established.
Alderman Tom Miller brought the issue to the Public Safety Committee last week as a talking point regarding a lack of parking spaces in the downtown area. Discussion in the past has focused on how to enforce timed parking throughout the entire area, but budgeting for a new program including a vendor and new software was not feasible for this year.
"It would be a spot on each side in order to get in and out," Miller said. "Timed parking has been talked about for years and nothing has been done."
Monroe Police Chief Fred Kelley recommended that if a 15-minute sign was posted on side of the Square, that uniformity should be followed along the other three sides.
Alderwoman Brooke Bauman agreed.
"I think we just need to be consistent," Bauman said.
Committee members agreed timed stalls by the crosswalk in the middle of the outer ring of each Square block would be best for consistency and accessibility to the sidewalk. Another advantage would be more visibility for pedestrians during the time the stalls are open.
Kelley said the four timed parking spots were a start. He pointed to the parking study conducted in the summer of 2015 and the recommendations made as part of its results. Namely, that if the municipal parking ramp were demolished, timed parking would need to be enforced in the area.
Language in the parking code drafted in 2010 allows for the establishment of time limits by way of a resolution agreed upon by council. Assistant City Administrator Martin Shanks, Director of Public Works Al Gerber and Kelley will work together to create a resolution and configure sign placement identifying each of the timed spaces.
Members of the committee talked over options and discussed the lack of room in the budget to accommodate the cost of time enforcement. The city would need to hire a person to hand out tickets and monitor the area in addition to purchasing new technology. Aldermen decided to talk again in the future about putting time limits on parking spots after the four slots were established.