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Sioux Falls council approves parking restriction on South Phillips Avenue to improve safety
Summary
The Sioux Falls City Council approved an ordinance restricting vehicles that reduce the driving lane on four blocks of South Phillips Avenue, creating a 12.5‑foot clearance requirement and a $15 fine; the measure passed 7–1 after public comment and debate about enforcement and downtown access.
The Sioux Falls City Council voted 7–1 on Dec. 3 to adopt an ordinance restricting vehicles that encroach on the driving lane on four blocks of South Phillips Avenue, citing public safety and clearer traffic flow.
Councilor Sighetty, sponsor of the measure, told the council the ordinance would prohibit vehicles that leave less than 12.5 feet of driving width from the diagonal white line to the center line on those blocks and would affect about 142 on‑street parking spaces. He said the rule was modeled on an Omaha ordinance, with Rapid City also consulted, and would take effect May 1 to allow time for painting a guide line and public messaging. “We certainly want people to still come downtown,” Sighetty said, framing the change as narrowly tailored to safety.
The ordinance uses an existing enforcement penalty in city code: a $15 parking fine during meter hours, with enforcement by meter staff and Sioux Falls Police Department on evenings and weekends. Heath Hoftizer, traffic operations engineer, described the downtown boundary used to compute available public parking, noting roughly 1,000 on‑street downtown spots and about 4,000 public parking spaces overall.
Public commenter Barbara Johnson said she supports the ordinance, describing repeated instances of longer vehicles extending into the lane and arguing that nearby parking ramps provide adequate spaces for larger vehicles. “If you drive down Phillips Avenue at any time of the day, you are likely to see a car … going over those yellow lines,” Johnson said, adding she believes the change will make downtown safer and more attractive.
Council debate acknowledged strong public support but also raised concerns about optics and enforcement. Councilor Seale said he feared the measure might send the message that downtown is less welcoming and questioned whether police time should be spent issuing $15 tickets at a time when the city has public‑safety demands. “I will be a no vote on this,” Seale said, citing those concerns. Councilor Spellberg countered that public response had been overwhelmingly positive and said the ordinance focused on safety rather than excluding visitors.
The ordinance passed by roll call, 7 votes in favor and 1 opposed (Sale). The city will paint a guide line and engage public outreach ahead of the May 1 effective date to reduce the risk of accidental citations.
