Nov. 3--EL PASO -- The City Council today delayed action on a proposal to increase fees in residential parking districts.

Council members said they were worried that the proposed fee increases were too high. They also wanted more information on how much it costs to run the program.

The city's Traffic Engineering Division had proposed that a one-time $25 fee be created for a neighborhood to ask that it be part of the program. City staff also wanted annual parking permits good for one car and two visitors to increase from $7 to $20.

City Engineer Alan Shubert said his proposal was designed to be "revenue neutral" and recoup the city's costs for administrating this program.

He said he would probably present the council with a couple of different options next week.

A residential parking district is designed to help residents of congested areas that are inundated with cars from nearby schools, businesses and nightclubs. Eligible residents are issued permits so they can park on the street in front of their homes or near them. Violators can be ticketed or towed.

The council voted 8-0 for a related ordinance designed to streamline the process of creating these residential parking districts. Eighteen residential parking districts exist throughout the city.

See Wednesday's El Paso Times for complete details.

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