Street rule changes pick up speed

WASHINGTON — A long-debated set of changes to the city of Washington’s street and parking codes continued to move ahead at a meeting Tuesday night.

While the proposals have led to lengthy conversations in recent months, Tuesday’s readings went with little back-and-forth and no public comments, an abrupt change of pace for the items.

“I think it’s both the press informing, and the public being listened to,” Mayor Jaron Rosien said. “Our citizen concerns were heard, and therefore, it wasn’t necessary for citizens to beat a dead horse. The parking changes that were passed were the necessary ones that weren’t controversial. The controversial ones that had a lot of people upset were pushed aside for the time being.”

Rosien said he tentatively expected the items to remain uncontroversial as they went through the remaining steps to enter city code.

“For the ones that remain, council hashed through,” he said. “Compromises were made … but in some cases, the changes were bigger, and by listening to people, the changes implemented were smaller.”

With minimal discussion, parking ordinance issues across the board advanced to different stages of consideration.

Changes to chapter 70 of city code passed their third and final reading, officially enacting them as part of the municipal ordinance. The section regulates enforcement of parking violations, and was generally considered non-controversial.

One set of changes to Chapter 69 of the code advanced to a second reading. The items would establish a handful of restrictions around the city, including one-sided parking on Green Meadows, East Tyler Street, Campbell Drive and a stretch of North Fourth Avenue, as well as no-parking zones scattered around North Marion Avenue, West Third Street and North Iowa Avenue, among others.

Another set of changes to the same chapter passed a first reading Tuesday night. The items were separated in the interest of leaving a window open for public comment without slowing down other proposals.

That list includes several parking rule changes, including one that would allow the city to enforce no-parking zones marked by painted curbs, even if no sign was posted. Officials said the ordinance would not apply if a street had no curb to color yellow.

Those rule changes would also enact some new restrictions on large vehicle parking in the city.

Notably, the version that passed a first reading exempts campers and motor homes from overnight parking bans in city limits, a change that drew criticism at earlier meetings. The vehicles are still subject to 24-hour parking limits, however.

On yet another action item for chapter 69 of the code, the council approved a first reading for reforms governing snow parking in the city. Rather than relying on mayoral declarations to clear the streets for snow removal, the new ordinance would prohibit all vehicles from being left “parked, abandoned, or unattended on any street or alley in the city during snow removal operations, or before such operations have removed or cleared accumulated snow or ice.”

The snow ordinance changes would also carve out exceptions for the super square area between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., as well as during normal weekend, evening and holiday hours. They also raise the fine for snow parking violations to $50, from the current $25.

For those changes not yet enacted, the city is required to open the floor for public comments on them at each regular meeting until they’ve had three readings.

“If there’s any remaining concerns, we’ll have plenty of time to look at them,” Rosien said.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com