Land Use committee backs Main Street 15-minute parking plan, asks staff for maps and enforcement plan

The Land Use Committee voted to forward a first-reading ordinance to the Carmel City Council recommending establishment of 15-minute parking spaces at the ends of blocks on Main Street and related streets.

Chair of the committee introduced the ordinance and said the city has received a parking study but has not yet received it in full; staff proposed a limited baseline change to match the pattern used on Monon Boulevard, with roughly 75% three-hour parking and 15-minute spaces at block ends to increase short-term turnover for local businesses.

Brad Pease, identified in the meeting as the city’s director of engineering, told the committee the proposal is intended as a “baseline” that can be adjusted: “If it’s not enforced, there are no rules,” he said, stressing that how the city enforces short-term spaces will shape whether the change is effective. Pease said the parking study offers enforcement options—using police or outsourcing to a third party—and that staff will work with the police department to determine the appropriate approach.

Committee members asked about how 15-minute spaces would handle loading and unloading, whether existing Monon Boulevard spaces would change (they would not), and how the ordinance language will match the city’s maps. Pease said the draft ordinance does not alter Monon Boulevard and that staff will confirm the legal language aligns with the color-coded maps shown to the committee.

Members also requested a clearer, public-facing chart and map showing the number and locations of parking changes. Pease committed to preparing a color-coded map on the city’s GIS dashboard and to produce counts of spots before the council takes final action. The committee chair noted that pavement markings are typically applied in the summer and that signs and posts will be ordered only after council adoption.

A member moved to send the ordinance to council with a positive recommendation; following a voice vote the chair confirmed the committee will forward the ordinance to the full council with a favorable recommendation. The committee asked staff to return with the parking-study documentation, a numerical before-and-after tally of spots, and a public map to help businesses and residents understand the changes.

The ordinance will next appear before the full Carmel City Council, where members will consider adoption and the implementation timeline for signage, pavement markings and enforcement.