At least in some areas of downtown, drivers may no longer have to worry about citations if they park for longer than two hours.
Upon urging from the Hollister Downtown Association and city council, the police department put together a proposed ordinance that would eliminate the two-hour parking limit for downtown parking lots.
Hollister officials revived downtown parking enforcement in 2009 after a five-year break. The primary regulation enforced is two-hour overtime parking on downtown streets and in parking lots. This past winter, the city temporarily postponed overtime enforcement in the parking lots for the shopping season. Police Capt. David Westrick said the department heard feedback about the “success of the holiday program” and a desire to continue without enforcement in lots.
“So in response to that we decided to go forward and put an ordinance on the agenda that would allow for free parking lots,” Westrick said.
He said it is especially a benefit to downtown merchants.
“Especially ones that needed to have a person park more than the allotted time,” Westrick said.
A council report notes that the change would cost no more than $4,000 in revenue.
Council members are set to weigh the ordinance at the 6:30 p.m. meeting at Hollister City Hall, 375 Fifth St.
