The Janesville City Council might have little public input to consider while making what is expected to be its final decision on overnight parking.
Only one member of the public not affiliated with the overnight parking lot program attended a public forum held Wednesday night at the Roth Pavilion in Lower Courthouse Park. That person was DuWayne Severson, a former city council member who is running for state Assembly. He did not speak during the forum.
Others in attendance included council members, city staff and Jessica Locher from ECHO, a nonprofit that uses the lot as a point of contact to meet people who might need help getting out of homelessness.
The council has until Sept. 30 to decide whether to again move the city’s designated overnight parking lot, keep it at its current location at the Jackson Street municipal lot, get rid of overnight parking entirely or try some other solution.
City staff recommend the lot be moved back to North Traxler Park because it has access to bathrooms with running water and is a fairly remote location compared to the current location, which is near well-traveled Centerway and across the street from the police department.
The end date on the overnight parking ordinance has changed several times as the city has tried to determine whether to allow overnight parking and where to do so. Several council members and city officials have said the council needs to make a permanent decision.
The council in January chose the September end date because it gave the council time to talk to the public and different interest groups about an ideal solution.
Council members met virtually in June with members of the city’s FOCUS group, which works to identify gaps in services for people experiencing homelessness.
During the June meeting, it was suggested the city look into permitting overnight parking at Dawson Ball Fields or at Lions Beach, either in street parking stalls near the beach or in its parking lot.
After analyzing all five suggested and current locations, city staff concluded North Traxler Park was the best place for overnight parking, Maggie Darr, assistant to the city manager, said Wednesday.
Locher said ECHO clients have said they prefer an overnight parking location that is not adjacent to the police department and that has access to a bathroom with running water.
Sgt. Dean Sukus said use of the lot has been low since it was moved to the Jackson Street lot.
That does not mean homelessness has gone away.
Officer Chad Navarre said third-shift officers still come in contact with people sleeping in their cars overnight elsewhere in the city. One popular spot is the TA Express on the north side.
Some people who would sleep overnight at the North Traxler lot eventually ended up back at the TA Express instead of the Jackson Street lot, Navarre said.
The council chose in 2019 to move the lot out of North Traxler Park after several neighbors complained about discomfort or criminal activity that was not substantiated by police.
When asked if the city would host another public forum for overnight parking, City Manager Mark Freitag said that would be up to the city council, but the clock is ticking on a decision.
Residents can also share their thoughts on overnight parking with the council during public comment portions of upcoming city council meetings.
