Downtown parking penalty overhaul stalls after hours of debate; first reading of ordinance 1776 fails
February 21, 2026 | City of Lewistown, Fergus County, Montana
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Lewistown commissioners on a split vote failed to advance the first reading of Ordinance 1776, a proposal to revise downtown parking time limits and adopt a progressive fine schedule for repeat violations.
The ordinance, which would align downtown parking penalties with the city's snow-route enforcement and set fines that rise from $25 to $100 within a calendar year, prompted sustained debate about unintended consequences for residents and employees who live downtown. City Manager Holly Phelps said the change would put post-office and Main Street parking rules in the same enforcement framework as the snow ordinance and introduce a progressive fee structure that resets each calendar year.
Commissioners raising objections said the ordinance could discourage people from leaving a vehicle overnight when they are not driving home, remove needed overnight spaces for tenants and employees, and conflict with street-sweeping schedules. Commissioner Day asked whether the fines would deter safe behavior, noting people sometimes leave vehicles to avoid driving while impaired. Other commissioners pressed for more information about off-street parking availability and suggested work through the ordinance committee and a downtown parking study as next steps.
An amendment to remove Juno Street and Broadway from the geographic scope was proposed and voted down. On the first-reading roll call the final count was evenly split and did not meet the four-vote threshold to advance the ordinance.
The measure will return to the ordinance committee for further study and possible revision. The commission emphasized that the first reading’s failure does not prohibit future proposals on downtown parking and that more targeted options — including carve-outs or a limited-night schedule to preserve sweeping — remain under consideration.
"This is where an ordinance committee and a comprehensive parking analysis will be helpful," City Manager Holly Phelps said during the discussion.
Next steps: Ordinance 1776 may be revised in the ordinance committee and brought back to the commission for additional hearings and readings.
The ordinance, which would align downtown parking penalties with the city's snow-route enforcement and set fines that rise from $25 to $100 within a calendar year, prompted sustained debate about unintended consequences for residents and employees who live downtown. City Manager Holly Phelps said the change would put post-office and Main Street parking rules in the same enforcement framework as the snow ordinance and introduce a progressive fee structure that resets each calendar year.
Commissioners raising objections said the ordinance could discourage people from leaving a vehicle overnight when they are not driving home, remove needed overnight spaces for tenants and employees, and conflict with street-sweeping schedules. Commissioner Day asked whether the fines would deter safe behavior, noting people sometimes leave vehicles to avoid driving while impaired. Other commissioners pressed for more information about off-street parking availability and suggested work through the ordinance committee and a downtown parking study as next steps.
An amendment to remove Juno Street and Broadway from the geographic scope was proposed and voted down. On the first-reading roll call the final count was evenly split and did not meet the four-vote threshold to advance the ordinance.
The measure will return to the ordinance committee for further study and possible revision. The commission emphasized that the first reading’s failure does not prohibit future proposals on downtown parking and that more targeted options — including carve-outs or a limited-night schedule to preserve sweeping — remain under consideration.
"This is where an ordinance committee and a comprehensive parking analysis will be helpful," City Manager Holly Phelps said during the discussion.
Next steps: Ordinance 1776 may be revised in the ordinance committee and brought back to the commission for additional hearings and readings.
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