Wichita City Council might still repeal back-in parking ban. Here’s why

The Wichita City Council will vote on repealing the city’s back-in parking ban after all.

City staff last week recommended against repealing the ban, and instead issuing warnings to first-time offenders and posting more signs to tell visitors about the ordinance.

“I am very much trying to listen to this community and finding something that they would like to see, and that is the repeal of this ordinance,” Mayor Lily Wu said.

The council will vote on the repeal at its meeting at 6 p.m. June 2.

Putting the ordinance repeal on the June 2 agenda passed on a 5-2 vote, with council members Becky Tuttle and Maggie Ballard voting against.

“I’m just struggling with spending a lot more staff time on when we have, in my opinion, more pressing issues,” Ballard said.

The mayor, along with council members Mike Hoheisel and Joseph Shepard, have spoken publicly about repealing the ban, based on feedback from residents.

“I definitely want to make life easier for residents to be able to park downtown,” Shepard said in an interview with The Eagle.

City staff previously cited property damage and a lack of efficiency with its new paid parking system, which a vendor enforces with license plate readers, as reasons to keep the ordinance.

The city previously said 281 citations have been issued by The Car Park to people who have backed into public parking spaces downtown since paid parking was implemented last year.

All of those who received a citation for backing in had paid for parking.

Such violations levy at least a $25 fine, according to the city’s fee schedule.