The Onalaska Board of Public Works and Utilities voted Dec. 2 to reduce a recently installed no-parking zone on John Street and directed staff to add centerline striping, responding to residents who said parked vehicles blocked sight lines and created hazards.

Resident Harriet Schupel of 515 3rd Avenue North told the board she worried “about the safety of the corner of John Street and 2nd Avenue North,” citing the street’s narrow 34-foot width, parked vehicles that can block turns and concerns about ambulance access. Public Works Director Jared Holter described staff outreach and police consultation after multiple neighborhood complaints and explained that the original sign set the no-parking zone at 50 feet from the crosswalk.

Holter said the department considered several options including leaving the 50-foot restriction, removing the restriction entirely or shortening it. He told the board the street is substandard compared with the city’s typical 37-foot width and that staff had installed the sign after more than a year of resident contacts. “In my opinion, it was narrow. That is the reason for the no parking being installed,” Holter said.

Board members debated trade-offs between homeowner parking and intersection visibility and landed on a compromise: authorize no parking on both sides set back 25 feet from the crosswalk (roughly one parking stall) and paint a 50-foot centerline stripe during the next striping cycle to help drivers stay right. Alder Larry Jurasic made the motion, which passed on a voice vote.

The chair said the item will appear on the city council consent agenda for final action; staff confirmed striping would likely occur the following year when centerlines are repainted. Members encouraged affected residents to attend the council meeting if they wish to comment further.

Action taken: board approved reducing the no-parking zone to 25 feet on both sides of John Street, adding centerline striping; change to appear on the council consent agenda for final approval.