An overview of the 30-minute "quick spot" parking spaces proposed for downtown.By Ted Schnell • BocaJump
If you are one of those folks who feel like finding a place to park downtown is akin to looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack, or who feels hard-pressed to get done what you need to in the time allotted for that space, a remedy may be at hand.
The Elgin City Council this week will be asked to consider a number of changes to parking in the Center City that officials and local businesses hope will make downtown parking simpler and more convenient for everyone – whether business employees, patrons or other visitors.
Parking concerns in core business areas arise from time to time in many communities. Elgin is no different. Elgin has reshaped its parking policies – for example, adjusting time restrictions that years ago were enforced by parking meters. Meters eventually removed. In more recent years, the city has built two parking decks, largely in response to downtown merchants’ concerns.
But, as the city staff’s documentation on the agenda item points out, Elgin’s downtown is making gains. More people live in the downtown area, creating a need for overnight parking, but during the day, because there are more businesses in the Center City, there is a greater need for parking spots to accommodate both employees and patrons.
So in this new round of adjustments, Elgin Management Analyst Aaron said Monday, the city and police department worked with the Downtown Neighborhood Association, including polling those who use the city’s core area to begin formulating a new parking plan.
Cosentino said the changes will simplify downtown parking regulations. Among other things, the council will be asked to consider setting a general time limit of two hours on downtown street parking, up from a general limit of 90 minutes in place now. But 54 on-street spots would be set at 30-minute “quick spots” situated to be within a half block of any given business.
Another part of the plan would eliminate time and permit restrictions in most city-owned surface lots and decks, would be changed to free parking for up to seventy-two hours. Level 1 of the Spring Street deck will remain two-hour parking, and the Civic Center parking lot will include about 42 30-minute quick spots near city hall and the post office.
Other elements of the proposal included an end to on-street parking regulations for streets in the area bounded by Highland Avenue, Spring Street, Center Street and Kimball Street, and end to the 4 to 6 a.m. on-street parking ban, and end to the downtown parking permit for businesses and residents, and the addition of eight new parking spaces downtown. Finally, enforcement times for the new rules would be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
The city already has implemented some changes or plans to make changes that did not require council approval, including:
- Removal of more than 300 unnecessary, outdated and conflicting downtown signs.
- Adding school speed zone signage on Spring Street in front of St. John’s Lutheran Church.
- Shifted mailboxes on Highland Avenue across from the post office to address safety concerns.
- Weather permitting, will restripe Highland Avenue and State Street to re-align lanes and create a safer lane merge.
There are elements to the plan that could prove tricky, particularly as they relate to street maintenance and street sweeping, as well as winter snow removal. But the staff report on the issue indicates there is a plan for that as well. Periodic maintenance with the public works department will be scheduled and appropriate signage placed in any lot or deck undergoing cleaning. Owners will be given ample time to move vehicle prior to cleaning.
To address street-sweeping and snow-plowing concerns, the staff report states the city and DNA staff will continue to communicate with downtown stakeholders to get as many vehicles off the street as possible.
