New signs in Amana will limit loading, unloading

MARENGO — Iowa County will place bus loading signs with time limits at three bump-outs in Amana after receiving complaints that buses and other vehicles are parking there for long periods of time.

Sandy Newkirk, who operates Amazing Grace Antiques on the corner of 220th Trail and 45th Avenue, told county supervisors last month that buses sometimes park in the bump-out on 45th Avenue for two or three hours, impeding business at her store. She asked the county to prohibit parking there.

But County Attorney Nick Amelon said the bump-outs were created for bus loading and unloading in 2004.

Supervisors voted Friday to put up signs limiting parking in the three areas to 15 minutes for the purpose of loading and unloading visiting buses.

“I did go out and meet with Sandy,” Supervisor Jon Degen said Friday. He also talked with the Amana Colonies Visitors Center, he said. The Visitors Center planned to send information about the loading time-limits and parking locations to bus companies that visit Amana, Degen said.

The letter includes a map showing the three loading areas.

“If we do put a restriction on it, … if there’s a complaint it’s got to be followed up on, so … the sheriff’s office needs to be notified,” said Degen.

The sheriff assured Degen that during special events a deputy is usually close to that area, especially during Oktoberfest, Degen said.

“So it’s still up to me to police that, then,” said Newkirk.

“No, not just up to you,” said Degen. “Whoever wants to complain.”

Newkirk said she appreciated Degen going to Amana and looking into the situation but asked what she should do about the big motor coaches when they park there.

“That’s just a call to the sheriff’s office,” Degen said.

Degen told Newkirk not to feel like she’s being unfriendly by calling the sheriff’s office. The sheriff’s just going to come up and talk to them, he said.

It may take a deputy more than 15 minutes to get there, said Degen, but Newkirk needs to call the sheriff’s department anyway.

Eventually people will learn they can’t park there, said Degen. “If it’s a bus driver, it’s going to get around the company, I think,” he said.

“I think we just have to move forward and work with it, and try to adjust things if we need to adjust things if it’s not working,” said Degen. “But I think it’s a good start.”

Supervisor Abby Maas told Newkirk not to address a driver directly but to call the sheriff’s department and let an officer deal with it. “They’re not going to know who called them in,” she said.

“I know that seems kind of petty to have to call the sheriff’s office on someone,” said Maas, but Newkirk shouldn’t confront violators herself.

Newkirk said she had a dozen people on the patio last month and a bus parked in the loading zone and ran its diesel for 90 minutes, blowing exhaust at the patio. She said she’d prefer the county make those areas no parking or handicapped parking instead of bus loading.

“I think we need a place to unload buses,” said Maas.

“I disagree,” said Newkirk. She called the loading areas a safety hazard.

Degen said that allowing loading and unloading but not allowing parking in the three areas is a good middle ground.

“I’d like to give it a try,” said Maas. Newkirk can report back to the board what happens after the new signs noting 15-minute loading limits are installed.

Supervisor Kevin Heitshusen said the signs probably won’t work immediately. There will be a learning curve for drivers who have habitually used the areas for parking, he said. He advised patience.