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Council approves reverse-angle parking on West 22nd Street after debate over park vs. club property
Summary
The council voted 6–1 to convert parallel parking to reverse-angle parking on West 22nd Street to add stalls and improve bicycle safety; one councilor opposed and one recused for a country-club connection.
Sioux Falls — The City Council approved a resolution on Oct. 21 to convert parallel parking to reverse-angle (back-in) parking on the north side of West 22nd Street west of Kiwanis Avenue, a change staff said will increase marked stalls from about 45 to 58 and improve safety for bicyclists.
Troy Miller of City Engineering told councilors the change was requested by Minnehaha Country Club "in order to increase parking density along 22nd Street." Miller said the conversion "would allow us to get 58 parking stalls in there" and that reverse-angle parking was chosen because West 22nd is part of an on-street bike route and "it's safer to have the vehicles doing the backing maneuver and pulling out rather than backing into a potential biker." Miller said the diagonal layout could also help calm traffic.
Council debate focused on whether the club should use its own property and who would maintain the new stalls. Councilor Sale said he could not support the plan without a representative explaining "why they want it on our property, not their own property." Don from Parks clarified the diagonal parking would be within the public right-of-way, not inside the city park, and that the city would likely continue snow removal though a maintenance agreement with the requesting party would address marking and some upkeep. Miller said the plan would maintain 12-foot driving lanes, keeping adequate width for traffic and bicyclists.
Councilor Barranco recused himself before the vote because of a club connection, saying he would "not vote" out of an abundance of caution. The motion to approve (mover: Basie; second: Sighetty) passed 6to1; Councilor Sale recorded the lone no vote and Barranco was recused.
What this means: The city will convert the stalls to reverse-angle parking in the right-of-way as marked; staff said they will pursue a maintenance agreement addressing pavement markings and snow removal and that signage and lines will be clearly marked to discourage incorrect parking maneuvers.
Vote and procedure: Motion to approve moved by Councilor Basie and seconded by Councilor Sighetty; vote recorded as 6 yes, 1 no (Sale), 1 recusal (Barranco).
