Naperville providing overnight parking for bar-hoppers

Downtown Naperville bar-hoppers who have over-imbibed soon may be able to leave their cars overnight in the city's parking decks and find another way home.

City councilmen gave preliminary approval Wednesday to allowing overnight parking in designated locations on Friday and Saturday nights.

"This is exactly what people who patronize our downtown eating and drinking establishments have been looking for," Councilman Robert Fieseler said.

Current ordinances prohibit parking from 2 to 5 a.m. The fine is $15 if paid within 15 days, otherwise it increases to $30.

The measure before the council would allow overnight parking at specified areas within three downtown parking decks - the Central Parking Facility on Chicago Avenue, the garage on Van Buren Avenue and at the municipal center.

Councilman Judy Brodhead said she thinks parents will like that their adult children will have a place to leave their cars during a night on the town. Councilman Kenn Miller said the provisions also could be helpful to business people who want to park downtown before 5 a.m.

City staff members also said it will provide guest parking for downtown residents.

But Councilman Grant Wehrli opposes the concept; he says there are few scofflaws leaving their cars overnight.

"The fact that we're going to designate an area for overnight parking when, frankly, the last thing we want people doing is moving their cars in that condition to overnight parking ... logistically, this one just breaks down for me," he said.

Councilman Paul Hinterlong was also concerned people would leave their cars late into the next day.

"In the meantime there's people that want to come down, spend money in the downtown, enjoy the downtown but there's nowhere to park because of all these cars that have been there since the night before," he said.

Marcie Schatz, director of transportation, engineering and development, said the city doesn't know how many people will take advantage of the overnight parking, which is why staff recommended a six-month pilot program.

The council voted 7-1 in favor of overnight parking. Mayor George Pradel, Fieseler, Hinterlong, Brodhead, Miller, Doug Krause and Richard Furstenau voted in favor. Wehrli was the lone 'no' vote. Jim Boyajian was absent.

An ordinance will be drafted and returned to the council for a final vote.