MENDOTA – The Mendota City Council passed two ordinances dealing with parking in the downtown area at its Nov. 6 regular meeting.

The first ordinance is for Restricting Downtown Parking. The ordinance states there shall be no parking between the hours of 3-7 a.m. in the downtown area, with the boundary area as follows: Eighth Avenue between Sixth and Washington streets; Illinois Avenue between Washington and Monroe streets; Main Street between Sixth and Eighth streets; Sixth Street between Veteran’s Way and Sixth Avenue; Washington Street between Indiana Avenue and Main Street; Jefferson Street between Indiana Avenue and Main Street.

The council cited its imperativeness to plow snow and use the street cleaning machine, and to perform such functions when the streets are free of parked cars as reasons for adopting the ordinance. The city finds it to be the least inconvenient for all affected to do the procedures between the hours of 3-7 a.m.

With the adoption of the ordinance, the council also realized that certain residents who live in the downtown have no private places to park their vehicles. The city owns three parking lots in the downtown area, thus the council adopted a Vehicle Registration Ordinance for downtown residents. Vehicle registration will be imposed for specified downtown areas, requiring an annual registration of each and every vehicle owned and/or operated by any person living in the designated area. There will be no cost associated with the registration of vehicles. A sticker with a unique registration number will be issued for each vehicle and displayed in the front driver’s side windshield. Stickers will expire April 30 each year, and the re-application process will be April 1-30 each year for the following year.

The boundary of the specified downtown area in which owners will have to register their vehicles is as follows: 616-899 Main Street; 700-899 Illinois Avenue; 700-899 Washington Street; 700-899 Jefferson Street; 700-899 Monroe Street; 600-700 Sixth Street.

All vehicles will be required to be parked in one of three designated areas commonly known as the IC Railroad parking lot, the Jefferson Street parking lot and the Monroe Street parking lot between the hours of 3-7 a.m.

The target date for the ordinances to be enacted is Dec. 1. The council will hold a public meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 20 prior to the next regular council meeting to address any questions or concerns.