News

TheReview

Wednesday, February 7,1990 —

Bl

‘Council at a loss over parking policy

by George Lee
The Review

Sidney’s rent-a-lot system is a
failure, aldermen heard Monday.

Many drivers would rather park
in front of residences than use the
lot on Bevan Avenue and Second
Street, or street spaces on Bevan,
information at Monday’s commit-
tee of the whole meeting shows.

A staff report on parking habits
in Sidney found that of the 94
spots available in five public lots

for $20 each a month, just three
were rented as of Jan. 2.

When time limits on street and
lot parking were expanded in
October, drivers responded by
renting 18 spaces in lots.

One of the most dramatic effects
was on the Bevan/Second lot,
which used to be chock full of
business employees’ cars.

Of the 24 spots there, none have
been rented since a two-hour limit
was posted. Before that, the lot was
full every day.

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With the lot and Bevan now
posted, 40 cars_were counted on
neighborhood residential streets.

“Though this is not desirable, it _

would appear that the residents are
tolerating the intrustion of these
vehicles in front of their proper-
ties,” the staff report said.

The present policy “does not
seem to be working,” Ald. John
Calder said.

But his motion to increase lot
limits to three hours and eliminate
the fee for parking failed.

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“T think ifs a game of trying
different things to which works,”
he said.

Instead, aldermen will meet
with staff to discuss options.

Mayor Norma Scaley said
increasing the limit won't solve
the problem. And removing the
limits would give Sidney it’s old
problem again — businesses
would use the parking their cus-
tomers need.

Employees were using spots “all
day, every day,” and customers

were scrambling to find places to
park.

Sealey said many business pco-
ple orginally said “they wouldn't
even mind if they had to pay. |
heard that so many times.”

But “lo and behold,” now
theyre parking in front of resi-
dences — even with a pay-system
in place.

“I just don’t know how we can
deal with it, short of cutting out
parking in front of residences and

Continued on Page B6

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