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City will refresh petition and clarify eligibility criteria for contested Billings Avenue residential parking district
Summary
Staff told the commission it will work with the city attorney to clarify which addresses count toward the 50% threshold and to recirculate a petition so residents can confirm whether they want the existing residential parking district dissolved or retained.
City staff reviewed a contested residential parking district for the Billings Avenue area at the Helena City Commission administrative meeting on March 19 and recommended a refreshed petition and technical review of eligibility before the commission takes further action.
Staff summarized the previous proceeding: the matter was tabled after public comment in May 2023 because of confusion about whether some properties in the district should be counted as residential for the 50% petition threshold. A February 2014 resolution and the city code provide the rules for establishing residential parking districts; staff noted that residential parking permits are issued only to people whose primary residence abuts the designated street.
Transportation staff recommended that the original petitioners recirculate the petition to provide an up‑to‑date count of eligible households. Director Eric Fisher said staff and the city attorney's office will review the original resolution, examine adjacent property uses (residential, rental, commercial), determine the correct denominator for the 50% test and report back to the city manager and commission.
Several neighbors and property owners testified during public comment. Original petitioner Matt Tuttit said he would recirculate the petition if staff clarifies how eligibility is counted; resident Kate Arpin said she supports dissolving the permit area because she wants on‑street parking to slow traffic and dislikes paying permits. Property owner Joe Gallack and others said they continue to experience parking pressure near Helena High School and opposed dissolving the district. Neighborhood commenters and staff noted the petition includes some rental properties adjacent to single‑family homes, and the map used at the earlier hearing created confusion about which properties should be counted.
The commission asked staff to proceed with a factual review to determine how many eligible residential addresses exist under the code and to return with a recommendation; staff said it will do that and will work with petitioners if they request a refreshed petition.
