Council directs Main Street parking changes to meet Title 23; asks staff to maximize spaces

Chief DeSanto and Sergeant Bingham told the council that multiple curbside parking spaces downtown are closer to crosswalks and fire hydrants than Title 23 allows and that the current striping likely came from a prior state repaint. The chief counted a block where correcting set‑backs would eliminate roughly five on‑street merchant parking spaces.

DeSanto outlined practical responses: re‑striping in spring, converting the municipal lot to two‑hour merchant parking (9 a.m.–5 p.m. weekdays) and stricter enforcement so employees and long‑term parkers move to the municipal lot. He warned that if the city does nothing and a pedestrian is struck, a lawyer could argue the city knew about the violation.

Council members debated alternatives, including eliminating a crosswalk across Central Street to avoid losing as many spaces, measuring the block in spring before final changes, and whether an ordinance amendment requires a 60‑day adoption window or faster administrative action. Legal timelines and the option to ask the city attorney (LCT) for guidance were discussed. Several council members favored waiting until spring for precise re‑measurement; others urged timely compliance.

After discussion, a motion that the city alter Main Street parking so that it complies with Title 23 while maintaining the maximum number of parking spaces carried on voice vote. The council asked staff to return in spring with measured layouts and to consult the city attorney on ordinance timing and possible interim enforcement.