Council extends meter limits

By Jewels Phraner

Published Feb. 19, 2008

Every day, hundred of students use precise strategy and a little luck when playing the parking game against the university and the City of Columbia. They comb the streets for the perfect spot closest to their lecture hall. Then they spend the next 50 minutes praying to the parking gods in hopes to escape a ticket.

But the Columbia City Council is trying to help.

City Council members unanimously approved a bill Monday night that lengthens the time limits on 11 spots on Conley Avenue. There was no contention on the issue from the public or between council members.

The bill will also increase yearly meter revenue by almost $500.

The 11 meters between the 700 and 800 blocks of Conley Avenue currently have 24-minute time limits, but the bill passed Monday will extend those spots’ time limits to 5 hours.

First Ward Councilwoman Almeta Crayton was not present to vote.

No member of the public spoke for or against the plan, but Fifth Ward Councilwoman Laura Nauser asked why the limit wasn’t increased to 8 hours instead.

“This is on campus, and we figured students really didn’t want to stay at school after their classes,” City Manager Bill Watkins said.

When introducing the bill, Watkins said the university was in favor of the bill.

The executive summary, prepared by Watkins and his staff, stated the long-term parking is to encourage students to get fewer tickets.

According to the executive summary the meters were originally changed to the 24-minute time limit in 1986, when two businesses, The Shack and Campus Jewelers, wanted parking spots for their customers in front of their buildings. According to MU archives, The Shack permanently closed in 1984. Campus Jewelers is also no longer located on Conley Avenue.