STEVENS POINT − Visitors to Stevens Point’s downtown will soon have a couple more hours to park their vehicle while shopping at local businesses, eating at local restaurants and checking out local events and activities.
The Common Council approved May 19 an ordinance amendment to allow four-hour parking beginning July 1 on Main Street and surrounding streets in the downtown area.
A request for the change came from downtown business owners, according to Mayor Mike Wiza in a June 24 news release.
“With downtown becoming more active with more shops and activities, the Business Improvement District Board requested the city amend the ordinance to allow for more time to enjoy the area, shop, grab a bite to eat or even allow for longer appointments,” Wiza said.
The two-hour parking limit was first put in place “several years ago,” according to Wiza, with the intention to help keep parking spaces open for potential customers instead of being used by business owners and employees.
The change to downtown parking rules comes months after the Common Council voted to change restrictions on food truck parking in the same area.
New signs are in place and enforcement of the new parking rules will begin on July 1, Wiza said. Parking spaces on Main, Church, Clark, Water, Ellis, Second and Third streets and College Court are impacted by the change.
Erik Pfantz covers local government and education in central Wisconsin for USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin and values his background as a rural Wisconsinite. Contact him at epfantz@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Stevens Point Journal: Stevens Point will extend downtown parking in July following ordinance change
Reporting by Erik Pfantz, Stevens Point Journal / Stevens Point Journal
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