The debate over homeless parking in Janesville rages on through the coronavirus outbreak.
The city’s ordinance allowing overnight parking across the street from the police department expires Tuesday night, so the Janesville City Council is holding a special meeting Tuesday morning to vote on whether or not to extend it through June 30.
The designated homeless parking lot was moved from North Traxler Park to the municipal lot on South Jackson Street during the winter months, with a built-in sunset clause of March 31.
Assistant to the City Manager Maggie Darr said the action item on Tuesday’s agenda was written only to vote on extending the existing ordinance, not to change the parking location.
The city’s Finding Opportunities to Collaborate and Unite Services (FOCUS) group met earlier this month and voted unanimously to recommend the council move the overnight parking back to North Traxler Park.
The FOCUS group said if the council would not support the North Traxler Park lot, it would recommend any other single public parking lot other than the current lot across from the police department.
Darr said the council’s special Tuesday meeting will be held virtually through Microsoft Teams and streamed live on the city’s website and JATV.
Community members had the opportunity to submit public comments for the meeting in written form, which were due Monday at noon.
