The Jefferson City Council recently approved the first reading to amend an ordinance that prohibits parking around portions of Hy-Vee.

City Administrator Mike Palmer says Police Chief Dave Morlan observed traffic flow once Hy-Vee opened in February because there was concern that the narrow roads would be too congested for emergency vehicles to respond to an emergency situation and so that City crews could plow streets in the winter and sanitation could pick up garbage.  Morlan sent out notification letters to 21 homeowners and renters around Hy-Vee.  The issue was brought to the Streets Committee meeting in March and the committee accepted the proposal and recommended it to the City Council, which also approved it.

The ordinance would establish no parking on the south side of Reed Street from Elm Street to Wilson Avenue, north side of Adams Street from Elm to Vine streets, both sides of Vine Street from Washington to Reed streets and both sides of Wilson Avenue from Washington to Reed streets.

One main concern was brought up at last week’s City Council meeting about the proposed no parking on the north side of Adams Street from Elm to Vine streets where Hastings Funeral Home is located.  The concern was over a funeral procession where the no parking zones would be.

“Funeral homes have their own small signs that have no parking or reserved areas and the City is perfectly fine with they want to use those no parking zones when they just have a funeral procession because it’s a very temporary situation.”

Palmer adds that there will be two more readings that the Council must approve before the ordinance can take effect.

A map of the proposed no parking zones can be viewed by clicking the picture below.