WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
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The Bloomington City Council approved significant and long term changes in downtown parking and neighborhood zones, in its meeting Wednesday.
The base parking fines will be raised from $20 dollars to $30.
Instead of the current three hours of free parking now available in city lots, parkers will only get one hour free.
The changes are based on an analysis from the parking commission and a downtown parking study conducted by consultant Desman Design. The study compared Bloomington’s parking rates to cities of comparable size in other states.
According to preliminary financial data from 2017, the city operated at a $73,000 loss. In addition, a substantial part of the system cost is paid through revenues from the city’s tax increment finance district, and revenues from parking citations.
Amendments to the parking ordinance would affect neighborhood parking permits, and the number of parking permits allowed for some Indiana University Greek houses. Enforcement hours on Friday and Saturday at the parking garages would be extended to 4 a.m.
Under the new ordinance, most parking rate changes will go into effect beginning next year.
