You’ll soon be able to back into parking stalls downtown – but not on streets

Backing into parking stalls, a common practice in Wichita, will now be legal in parking lots — but not on the streets.

Backing into stalls has been illegal in the city since 2008, but received renewed interest after the city began paid parking downtown, leading to stricter enforcement of the ordinance.

“I, along with hundreds of Wichita citizens, was unaware this law was in effect,” Emilio Martinez told the council as he spoke in favor of the repeal.

Martinez said he was issued a $50 fine when he backed into a parking space outside the Kansas Leadership Center downtown for work training.

Some residents also cited safety as a reason to allow back-in parking, especially for motorcyclists.

“Motorcyclists, a lot of the time, back into parking because one, when you’re pulling out, you can see the traffic better,” motorcyclist Charles “Mike” Jimenez said. “Two, some of them are sloping, most motorcycles don’t have reverse... so pushing the bike backwards... they have trouble getting in and out, especially if there’s a slope.”

City staff continued to advise against repealing the ban at Tuesday’s evening meeting, citing a lack of efficiency, property damage, and safety as reasons to keep the ordinance.

Repealing the ban has been a conversation for months at City Hall, leading the city to begin issuing warnings for first-time offenders starting in late April. Public Work’s Director Gary Janzen said that approach was working after they saw fewer people being cited for backing into parking stalls.

“I think we have the potential to really get to a better place just by the first warning alone,” Janzen said.

But council members passed the repeal unanimously after more than an hour of discussion on whether to fully repeal back-in parking. The change must still have a second vote soon.

“I get a little concerned that we have angled parking, and somebody could with a three-point turn, essentially of their truck back into the angled parking, and when they pull out, they would be going against traffic,” council member Mike Hoheisel said on excluding on-street parking from the repeal.

For Mayor Lily Wu, who made the initial motion to fully repeal the ban, it was about moving on from the months-long issue.

“I am willing to, after hearing this conversation, go to a yes... so that residents can understand that it is legal to back into a parking stall, except for on the street,” she said.