City warns downtown residents to get permits for overnight parking
Some of the current residents of downtown apartments were surprised a couple of weeks ago to get a warning about parking on city streets or parking lots overnight.
City Manager Jason Molino said the warning is part of an effort to ensure only vehicles with permits are parking overnight, and that they're parking in recommended areas.
"We initially issued warnings to remind people there is no (overnight) parking and give them a chance to get permits," Molino said. "There have been no tickets issued at this point."
If a resident wants to park a vehicle downtown overnight (from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.), he or she needs to get a permit from the city.
That permit costs $100 annually (raised recently from $50 per year).
The permit covers up to two vehicles.
When a resident receives the permit, the resident is asked to park his or her vehicles in specific areas, with other overnight parking, so that vehicles are grouped together.
Molino said this is particularly important during snow removal season.
With the city making a push for more apartments downtown, Molino was asked if there is adequate parking for more residents in the heart of the city.
There is, Molino said.
"If you don't have an overnight parking ability -- if you don't enforce it, or you don't have it -- then people can park overnight with any type of vehicle, whether it's a construction vehicle, farm equipment, those sorts of things," Molino said. "We've had requests from truckers or trucking agencies to park their big rigs overnight, which is just something we don't allow."
On the web: Batavia City Code