Charles City increases parking fines and works on parking projects

By Travis Fischer, tkfischer@charlescitypress.com

The Charles City Council approved increases to the city’s parking fines during its regular meeting on Monday, April 17.

Last updated nearly a decade ago, the city has been working to increase fines both to create a better deterrent against violations and to pay for the administrative costs involved in processing the tickets, city officials said.

During the Monday meeting, the council held the third and final reading of the ordinance, which will raise the $15 fine for parking violations to $25, with violations of the city’s snow parking ordinance raised to $50. In addition, the city also raised the fine for handicap parking violations to $200 to match the state code.

In other parking business, the council approved preliminary plans to resurface the 401 N. Main St. parking lot, which sits directly behind the Charles City Chamber of Commerce and Charles City Area Development building. Patching on the lot has begun to deteriorate, creating a tripping hazard and necessitating new cement, officials said.

Bids for the project will be reviewed during the May 15 public hearing with the project scheduled to be complete by Nov. 3.

The council also approved the maintenance plan for the upcoming Mill Race Parking Project, which will convert the portion of North Jackson Street and Riverside Drive running behind the 100 block of Main Street into a city parking area.

The maintenance plan, which is required as part of the Water Quality Improvement grant contract for the project, requires the city’s street department to keep the permeable paver system clean and free of debris with regular inspections for 10 years.

In discussing the maintenance plan, the council considered handicapped parking accessibility in the lot. The current plan will provide two handicapped parking spots near the entrance of Union House and two more for access to businesses on the opposing side of the lot.

Though this meets the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements for the size of the lot, council member Phillip Knighten questioned if that would be enough spaces as a practical matter, particularly as new development continues in the area.

“If we see that we need more, that could be a consideration,” said Mayor Dean Andrews, who agreed that additional handicap spots would likely be utilized.

Addressing other city projects, the council approved the second pay request for the clearwell water plant project. The $549,051.55 payment covers work done on the underground water storage project along with project materials that have been purchased.

The council also approved an easement agreement with Cambrex to facilitate the city’s SW Water Main Looping Project. This is the third and final easement needed for the project to move forward.

“It’ll be good to wrap up all these little easements to get this project moving,” said council member Phoebe Pittman.

With the easements secured, the council approved the preliminary plans for the water main project, which will connect the mains on 5th Avenue and 11th Avenue with a 12-inch pipe following the Charley Western Trail. Bids for the project will be reviewed in a public hearing on May 15.

In other business, the council approved a resolution changing the city administrator employee contract to provide a travel stipend instead of use of a city vehicle.

The amendment was proposed by City Administrator Steve Diers, who noted that the current city vehicle provided to him is getting up in mileage. Calculating the annual cost of a new vehicle along with maintenance and upkeep, Diers proposed that instead the city provide a $500 per month stipend,  which would be less expensive for the city and more convenient for him.

“I think it would save the city a little money,” said Diers. “And it would work better for me from a practicality standpoint.”

The council agreed and approved the contract amendment.