Council to study backing-into-stalls ordinance and reviews parking garage sale on consent agenda

A council member asked the council to consider an ordinance that would prohibit backing into downtown parking stalls and requested a staff analysis of the benefits and challenges of such a change.

"I would like to see the benefits as well as the challenges of implementing that portion of the ordinance," the Mayor said, asking staff to evaluate the operational and enforcement implications.

Another council member raised a practical enforcement concern: "From what I understand, since we don't have plates on both sides of the car...that's kind of the concern is if you back in, then the car as they drive through won't be able to scan the license plate," citing that Kansas plates are only on one side of many vehicles.

Separately, the City Manager flagged consent-agenda item 3, a purchase/sale for a parking garage off McLean, and urged council members to review pricing-per-stall standards and other project details before the April 7 meeting. The City Manager also reminded the council that several property acquisitions and housing sales were included on the agenda for continuing program work.

The council directed staff to study the backing-into-stalls question and provide options, and the parking-garage sale remains on the consent agenda for routine action unless a council member pulls it for separate discussion.