A little blowback and 'green' council might be less green; two queston best parkade spots for hybrids

Council members Monica Vernon and Justin Shields aren't so sure they want to reserve the best parking spots for hybrid vehicles in some downtown parkades.

Three weeks ago, the council roundly endorsed the idea of making some “green” upgrades to the Fourth Avenue parkade while it was spending about $1.35 million of what is mostly Federal Emergency Management Agency funds to fix the flood-damaged ramp.

One of the those “green” items was to provide signage that would reserve the best parking spots for hybrids.

Vernon last night said did not see the hybrid-preference in the earlier council documents, and she added that she now has heard from residents who don't like the preference idea. Shields missed the earlier meeting, he concluded last night. Council member Kris Gulick noted, too, that a downtown parking study now under way might best address the hybrid issue.

The repairs to the ramp will include conduits that will allow for plug-ins for electric cars in the future, but City Manager Jim Prosser told the council last night that it can make a final policy decision on hybrid-preference later.

Council member Tom Podzimek, who enthusiastically has endorsed the preference, was among three council members absent from last night's meeting.