I.C. Council considers using out-of-service parking meters to collect money for needy

Visitors to downtown Iowa City may soon be encouraged to donate to old parking meters instead of panhandlers.

City Council members, meeting in a work session Monday night, supported the idea of using out-of-service parking meters to collect donations for the needy. The money would go to organizations that help the disadvantaged.

It's an approach that has been used nationally, with mixed results. But council members thought it could work in Iowa City.

Council member Connie Champion said it could help with concerns some have that panhandlers are not in as great a need as they suggest.

“We all want to help someone who is really in need,” she said.

Staff will work on the idea, and it's thought the city would start with six to 10 meters.

The council Monday night discussed requests by the Downtown Association for more restrictions on panhandling and smoking. The city already outlaws aggressive panhandling and keeps those asking for money at least 10 feet away from building entrances, sidewalk cafes, the playground and mobile vendors downtown.

The Downtown Association says customers continue to be intimidated by people asking for money and wants those distances increased to 20 feet. The group also asked that the smoking ban be broadened to cover the entire Pedestrian Mall during the day to try to decrease loitering.

Council members asked staff to look into the 20-foot request. They also said they were interested in banning smoking in the Pedestrian Mall 24 hours a day and within 10 feet of sidewalk cafes in the rest of downtown.

“If it's a health concern at 8 in the morning, it's a health concern at 8 at night,” Terry Dickens said.

The council rejected the Downtown Association's request that solicitors be required to register with the city. Regenia Bailey said that could limit something like the spontaneous performance of a musician that adds to the “richness of our downtown.”