With the final vote on the paid parking program just two weeks away, parts of the plan are still being modified.

The Fayetteville City Council this week adopted a few amendments to the set of ordinances that make up the Entertainment District and Downtown Parking Plan.

The amendments:

Creation of a guest pass program for residents

Residents living in the paid parking zones will be issued passes for their own vehicles, but this amendment addresses the question of where their guests will park when visiting. Residents could choose to receive either of the following:
Option 1. Two hang tags to give to guests that would would essentially be the same as the residents’ passes.
Option 2. 30 one-day passes per month to give to guests when visiting.

Both options would be free.

“This would accommodate both types of requests we might have,” said Parking and Telecommunications Manager Sharon Crosson. In other words, Option 1 might favor a scenario in which a resident had their parents over to visit on a regular basis, and Option 2 could address students who had a monthly cookout with many friends.

Creation of a free parking plan for small scooters

Mayor Lioneld Jordan brought forth this amendment which would allow free parking in the Entertainment District for scooters with an engine size of 70cc or less. Chief of Staff Don Marr said the idea is to create established boundaries that allows for as many scooters as can be fit into them. Some of these areas would be specifically for scooters while others might be shared with motorcycles and bicycles.

Limiting increased penalties to a one-year period

The original proposal called for an increased parking fine for each offense. Alderman Bobby Ferrell brought forth this amendment which would eliminate an increase if the previous offenses occurred within the preceding 12 months. In other words, if a visitor received a ticket on a football game day and didn’t receive any more for the next year, their second ticket would be the same price as their first.

Proposed fines for each overtime parking offense would be $10, $15, and $25, respectively.

The council is expected to vote on all of the ordinances that make up the plan at the next meeting on June 1.