With Central High School vacant, the Albert Lea City Council is removing most of the parking restrictions in the area, but new parking problems have surfaced near Albert Lea Medical Center.

Tuesday, January 23, 2001

With Central High School vacant, the Albert Lea City Council is removing most of the parking restrictions in the area, but new parking problems have surfaced near Albert Lea Medical Center.

The city engineering department has suggested removal of parking restrictions in place near Central High School after a review of the area showed they were no longer necessary. The department recommends most of the ‘No Parking’ signs be removed and replaced with 2-hour parking signs.

The council decided to follow the recommendation with the exception of ‘No Parking&uot; signs on William Street between Euclid and Adams Avenues due to the narrowness of the street. Not only will the current signs on the south side of William Street remain, but the city will also install signs on the north side.

&uot;We’ve had some truck traffic in that area, and there’s been a conflict with the cars parked on the street,&uot; said City Manager Paul Sparks.

Councilor David McPherson asked the council to direct the engineering department to study the parking situation on Grace Street and Vinehurst Avenue west of Albert Lea Medical Center.

&uot;I don’t know if we need to prohibit parking during some of the daylight hours to discourage medical center employees, or if we need to consider making Vinehurst a one-way street to help the residents,&uot; said McPherson.

Lawrence Holcomb, a Grace Street resident, said the glut of cars parked in the area narrows the street to the point that two cars can’t pass. Many of the cars are owned by hospital employees, he said.

&uot;There’s just nowhere for anyone to go when they’re committed, once they get on to that (Vinehurst) street,&uot; said Holcomb. &uot;Someone is forced to back out.&uot;

McPherson said the problem balancing the parking needs of residents with those of hospital employees.

&uot;Both Grace and Vinehurst are narrow streets, and both have no parking on one side already,&uot; said McPherson. &uot;We need to provide some on-street parking to the residents in that area. It’s the daytime parking that’s the problem, I think.&uot;

City Engineer Dave Olson agreed to talk with some residents and have his department examine the situation.

In other city council news:

* The council agreed to provide tax increment finance and loan assistance to developer Scott Knutson, who is renovating a downtown property at 113 South Newton. Knutson is remodeling the building, located next to the post office, into office space.

Sparks suggested a 4 percent interest loan over 15 years for the remodeling costs of the building up to $50,000. He said TIF assistance would also be available for code updates, sprinkler system improvements and handicapped access once the value of the work is established.

* The council voted to accept a liquor license application for Applebee’s International.

* The council opted to give $1,000 of financial support to the Festival of Bands, to be held in Albert Lea June 17. The event is sponsored by the Albert Lea Convention and Visitors Bureau.

* The city will purchase a new air compressor system for the fire department at a cost of $23,479. The equipment is used to fill breathing tanks for the department as well as other departments in the area. The current system, which fills between 600 and 700 tanks in a year, is more than 20 years old.

* The council accepted a $32,651 bid for the resurfacing of Rowe Lane between Pilot Street and Hills Lane in northwest Albert Lea. The other bid was about $5,000 higher.