1-hour parking limit at county buildings effective Jan. 1

New parking regulations for the spaces in front of Floyd County government buildings will go into effect Jan. 1.

Under the new ordinance, all parking in front of certain county-owned buildings — including the Forum River Center, Joint Law Enforcement Center and Floyd County Judicial Center — will be turned into one-hour parking spaces.

Signs will be posted and Floyd County police will enforce the regulation using license plate readers.

Commissioners said people have been taking advantage of the parking lots and spaces since the parking manager stepped down from the position last year. With the new ordinance, county officials hope it will speed up the turnover of those spaces.

The board was originally planning on instituting the change on Nov. 22, but decided to extend the grace period through the last six weeks of the year.

“Due to some processing issues on the court side of things, with there being only six weeks left in the year, there would only be warnings for the remainder of the year,” County Clerk Erin Elrod said during the Floyd County Commission caucus Tuesday. “Full enforcement would begin on Jan. 1.”

This will also allow the county to work out any bugs they might run into with the license plate reader technology, she said.

Commissioners approved the amendment to the county’s parking ordinance at their Tuesday meeting.

During the public hearing held before the vote, resident Michael Morgan asked if the time limit would be extended for those who have business at a county building that takes more than one hour.

Elrod said those people would have the opportunity to move their vehicle to one of the long term parking decks until they complete their business.