Falcon Heights council could vote on plan for paid MN State Fair parking

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Falcon Heights City Council could vote Wednesday to finalize plans for paid parking on some city streets during the Minnesota State Fair.

Paid parking in Falcon Heights

The backstory:

Back in March, the council approved changes to the city code to allow the city to use electronic parking meters. They also directed city officials to negotiate a contract with ParkMobile, a vendor of e-meters used in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

However, council members were still debating the final details.

Big picture view:

During the council meeting in March, the city wanted to institute a paid parking program to recoup losses incurred during the state fair, including police overtime and wear and tear on streets.

If put into place, they estimated the paid parking program could generate between $100,000 and $200,000 in revenue.

City could vote on parking plans

What we know:

The Falcon Heights City Council is scheduled to meet Wednesday night at 7 p.m. to consider a vote on the paid parking plan.

The council will allow public comment during the meeting.

Local perspective:

At a workshop meeting last week, the city discussed some of the feedback council members got from residents during previous hearings on the program.

Since then, the task force has submitted these recommendations for the program:

Streets impacted

Under the recommendations, the program would only be in place for streets in close proximity to the state fairgrounds in the Northeast Quadrant and Northome neighborhoods.

Signage will be put up to mark the paid parking spots. But the streets include:

Northeast Quadrant Neighborhood (Between Snelling Avenue and Hamline Avenue, from Roselawn Avenue to Larpenteur Avenue):

• Asbury Street (Crawford Avenue to Roselawn)
• Arona Street (Crawford to Roselawn)
• Simpson Street (Crawford to Roselawn)
• Pascal Street (Larpenteur to Roselawn)
• Holton Street (Larpenteur to Roselawn)
• Albert Street (Larpenteur to Garden Avenue)
• Albert Street (Ruggles Avenue to Roselawn)
• Sheldon Street (Ruggles to Roselawn)
• Ruggles Avenue (E Snelling Service Drive to Pascal)
• Ruggles Street (Holton to Hamline)
• Crawford Avenue (E Snelling Service to Pascal)

Northome Neighborhood (Between Snelling Avenue and Hamline Avenue, from Larpenteur Avenue to Hoyt Avenue):

• California Avenue (non-water sides only)
• Idaho Avenue (non-water sides only)
• Iowa Avenue (non-water sides only)

Additionally, the council is considering marking certain streets in Northome as "permit only" – meaning only neighborhood residents with hang-tag passes would be allowed to park there. Those streets would include: Albert, Pascal, and Arona streets.

Cost to park

• The city would charge $25 per day for paid spots.

Parking passes

• In July, the city would mail one hang-tag parking pass to homes along the paid parking streets. With the initial pass, residents would get information on how to get a second pass.
• Third and fourth passes would also be available, but residents would have to go to city hall and show why they need the passes.

The other side:

It's worth noting, the streets closest to the fair gates (south of Hoyt along Snelling) are in the City of St. Paul and would not be impacted by Falcon Heights' program.

Falcon HeightsMinnesota State Fair