Springdale council tightens on‑street parking rules, approves parallel‑parking requirement and fee changes

The Springdale Town Council approved changes to the town code and parking policies on Feb. 12 that revise how on‑street parking is defined and priced, and that clarify residential permit rules.

Town staff presented the ordinance change, labeled Ordinance 2025‑02, and a companion policy update, Resolution 2025‑04, which together alter the town code (Title 6, Chapter 2) and the town’s published parking policy. Council members voted to approve the ordinance and the parking policy with amendments that remove a two‑hour exception for residential permits from the ordinance text and correct several cross‑references in the policy documents.

Town staff Tom Dancy said the ordinance streamlines enforcement by changing the oversized‑vehicle definition from a pure dimensional test to one tied to commonly used vehicle classes and by spelling out that on‑street parking must be parallel parking. “Over the course of those seven years, we’ve learned a lot with how to manage and administer parking,” Dancy said, adding the two principal policy changes were to clarify what counts as an oversized vehicle and to require parallel parking on streets.

The revised oversized‑vehicle definition lists class A and class C recreational vehicles, box trucks and any vehicle (including trailers) longer than 24 feet as oversized; the stated intent is to exempt camper vans and sprinter vans from the oversized category so enforcement staff need not measure vehicle dimensions in the field. Council discussion clarified that the 24‑foot threshold includes a vehicle plus any towed trailer.

The policy updates change how the town charges for parking: hourly (one‑ and two‑hour) paid options will be removed, a half‑day rate will be available only after 1 p.m., and the town will eliminate the seasonal (off‑peak) 50% discount that had applied from Dec. 1 to March 1. The council also approved allowing vehicles with valid residential parking permits to park all day in paid parking zones (removing the ordinance’s two‑hour limit) and to park all day in the River Park lot; nonresident vehicles remain subject to the River Park two‑hour limit.

Council members and staff discussed kiosk and app limitations: current kiosks do not allow motorists on site to add partial day time, which staff said created confusion where drivers bought short increments and then stayed much longer. Staff said reprogramming machines and the payment app to match the new definitions will involve one‑time costs and that the town will try to add clearer guidance (images and examples) at kiosks and in the app.

The council adopted the ordinance and the parking policy with the requested edits. The ordinance was approved with the explicit condition that the paragraph in section 6‑2‑6(2)(8) reading that a permitted residential vehicle is exempt from paid zone rules only for “two hours or less in a 24‑hour period” be removed. The council approved Resolution 2025‑04 and directed staff to update signage and the town’s public materials to reflect the changes.

Council member Pat Campbell, who moved the ordinance approval, framed the changes as simplification for both visitors and staff; Campbell said the changes will reduce staff time spent adjudicating inconsistent situations. Tom Dancy and Chief Breck (Springdale Police) were available during the discussion to answer technical questions.

What comes next: staff will reprogram kiosks and the payment app and prepare outreach materials explaining the new rates and permit rules; the council instructed staff to return corrected ordinance and policy documents for the mayor’s signature and for publication.