Despite policy differences, aldermen this week proposed downtown parking changes that will be the subject of a 6 p.m. June 24 public hearing in City Hall.
The changes include an increase to two-hour limits for city lots along River Lane north and south of State Street, on the north side of the 300 block of James Street and on the south side of the 200 block of Hamilton Street, all of which have 90-minute time limits.
All nine-hour and four-hour time limits for city lots would be eliminated, but the ban on parking longer than 24 hours would be continued in order to standardize parking throughout the city and provide extended parking for business employees.
The city will also create additional 15-minute parking spaces for shoppers on 3rd Street, 2nd Street and James and Franklin Streets, with special downtown parking privileges for residents.
Ald. Scott Fintzen said the proposal is incomplete because it does not include commuter parking, which he believes is as important as commercial and residential parking needs.
But City Administrator Phil Page said city officials don’t want to compromise Geneva’s 3rd Street commercial center with commuter parking.
Officials are looking for funding to build an $8 million commuter parking deck, he said, but there is not much available land for such a structure.
