Kent City Council revises parking policy

Kent Mayor Jerry Fiala addressed Kent City Council during their meeting Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017. The council unanimously agreed to ban drivers from occupying two parking spots in the city.

Dylan Reynolds

Kent City Council approved a motion Wednesday to limit drivers to one public parking space per car.

After the issue was raised, several council members had questions about details, but they unanimously voted for approval.

“What will this do with the situation of someone pulling a trailer or a bus (that occupies two spaces)?” asked Ward 4 councilman John Kuhar. Discussion on this subject was delayed until a later meeting.

Ward 6 councilwoman Tracy Wallach questioned whether the rule would affect metered parking spaces.

“In paid spaces, they could park between two and just pay for both spots, right?” Wallach asked. The answer to her question remained unclear.

The motion came after Kent parking enforcement personnel noticed the loophole in the city code.

The purpose of the one-car-one-space rule is to maximize the number of people who can park in the city. When a car occupies two spaces, other drivers face a longer walk to their destination.

Dylan Reynolds is the business and neighborhoods reporter. Contact him at [email protected].