Lincolnwood committee directs staff to draft change to alternate-side parking hours

The Lincolnwood Committee of the Whole on May 5 directed staff to prepare an amendment to the village’s alternate-side parking ordinance to shift enforcement hours to 8 a.m.–6 p.m. after accumulation of 2 or more inches of snow.

Assistant Village Manager Farrell told the committee staff’s recommendation was intended to give snow-removal crews additional passes on residential streets and potentially reduce the total number of days alternate-side parking must be implemented. Farrell described neighboring approaches — Evanston’s overnight ban, Morton Grove and Niles’ 24-hour declarations, and Skokie’s 8 a.m.–6 p.m. schedule — and reiterated that Pratt Avenue remains a designated snow-emergency route, meaning parking is prohibited there after 2 inches whether or not alternate-side parking is declared.

The board’s discussion focused on enforcement, resident burden and outreach. The police chief said large snow events produced hundreds of tickets and that officers were assigned overtime for ticket-writing so plows could clear streets. Trustee Hartel expressed concern about an earlier start time, saying, “The 7AM, I mean, I have many cars and none leave by 7,” and suggested an 8 a.m. start as more practical. Several trustees urged more proactive outreach; one trustee recommended snail-mailing a one-time notice translated into the community’s top languages and adding a message to water bills or vehicle-sticker mailings to increase awareness.

Farrell said staff would bring a draft ordinance to modify the hours to the board for consideration and would work on expanded notification. The committee did not take a formal vote on the ordinance amendment at the meeting; the direction to draft the change and pursue outreach was recorded as the board’s instruction.

Next steps: staff will prepare the ordinance language and an outreach plan for board review ahead of the next formal meeting where an ordinance could be advanced for adoption.