In February, City Council revised certain rules and regulations related to parking within city-owned parking lots. In addition to the fee modification to 50 cents an hour, there were also changes to make it easier to park and spend time in the downtown.
Short term parking time limits, within parking lots, have increased from two to three hours.
Due to safety concerns, handicapped parking is not available on Main Street, where there is no charge for parking. Therefore, council removed the fee for handicap parking in the parking lots. Those with a current and valid handicap placard may now park for free in designated handicapped spaces within city-owned parking lots (timed parking will be enforced).
Currently, parking within City Parking Lot 2 is free. After reviewing feedback from downtown businesses, property owners, and visitors, the city will replace the kiosks in Lot 2.
The new kiosks are more user friendly, allow users to input their information in any order they choose, and offers a mobile app (Park Smarter). The use of the Park Smarter mobile app will allow visitors to pay for parking (within a lot with kiosks) without having to go to a kiosk and will also allow visitors to add time from their smartphones. It is anticipated that the new kiosks will be installed sometime in March, at which time the fee to park will apply in Lot 2.
The public is encouraged to watch a how-to video for the kiosk and a how-to video for the Park Smarter mobile app. The kiosk video may be accessed from https://vimeo.com/99759830; the video for the Park Smarter mobile app may be accessed from https://vimeo.com/218077854.
There is no change to the 157 free two-hour on-street parking spaces within the downtown.
