Council reviews ‘no overnight’ parking near BYU-I

The Rexburg City Council held a work meeting Wednesday afternoon to review the proposal of “no overnight” parking in areas near BYU-Idaho.

According to minutes from a Sept. 17 City Council meeting, Blake Willis, the owner of a couple of apartment complexes, urged that the council discuss outlawing overnight parking within the Pedestrian Emphasis Zone. The PEZ includes several blocks surrounding BYU-I’s campus. Willis said the number of people parking on the streets near the Ivy Apartments is concerning.

At Wednesday’s work meeting, the council addressed that concern, but concentrated it to a much smaller area on S. 2nd West, just south of W. 7th South. The council decided it would be close to parking at all times for pedestrian safety, but that the rest of the PEZ would remain open to overnight parking.

BYU-I senior Brandon Walker said that’s great news for students. He said outlawing overnight parking would be a nightmare.

“Most of the apartment complexes are full of parking, they have no space, and so, either you could get a parking pass and park in the designated parking lot, or you’d probably just have to hoof it everywhere,” said Walker. “I don’t see where there would be a place to park.”

Beginning Dec.15, overnight parking on all city streets will be closed until March 1.