The Muncie City Council could vote tonight whether to limitparking on certain streets east of the Studebaker East Complex.
The council will hear two proposals that address what Mayor DanCanan calls parking congestion caused by Ball State University'scommuter students.
One ordinance bans parking on streets without curbs in the areabounded by New York Avenue, Linden Street, Wayne Street and BethelAvenue. Most of the streets without curbs run north and south.
Residents with permits will be allowed to park on the streets,though.
The other ordinance will prohibit parking on all streets in thesame area from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for cars without permits.
"It means commuters cannot park here and create clutter," Canansaid. "It's just going to make it a better area for people livingin the area."
The original proposed ordinances, presented to the council inMay, said each house could have two permits, at a cost of $20 foreach one. However, Canan said Thursday the permits would befree.
The ordinance restricts the number of permits to two becausemost houses have off-street parking, he said. However, exceptionscould be made if residents are not provided with enough off-streetparking.
Residents also may request date-specific visitor passes.
"The advantage to individuals is now they'll have a lot betteradvantage to finding a parking space," Canan said.
However, Bruce Weimer, city council member, said he thinks theordinances will limit parking for residents.
Residents who do not have enough off-street parking could faceproblems trying to park on the street, he said.
Mary Jo Barton, city council member, said she thought mostresidents in the area were in support of the ordinances, though shewould not decide her vote until hearing what people had to say attonight's meeting.
Council member David Taylor also said he would wait to see whatpeople had to say at the meeting. He has not researched theordinances yet, he said, but thought it was likely the ordinanceshad problems.
Council member Alison Quirk said she was not familiar with theupdated ordinances but was concerned about where displaced parkerswould go to.
Canan said he did not think the ordinances would create moreparking problems in the other neighborhoods because they arealready full.
Ben Tietz, Student Government Association president, said he wasnot familiar with the ordinances. However, he could understand thesides of students and residents in the area, he said, but he wouldrepresent the students' wants.
If the ordinances pass and meet with success, the city will lookinto implementing similar ordinances in other neighborhoodssurrounding Ball State, Canan said.
Because the council already had a first reading of theordinances, it will be able to vote at the meeting at 7 p.m.tonight at City Hall.
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