City Council

Minutes were approved by the Government Operations & Ordinances Subcommittee on 11/18/2025. CITY OF LACONIA - CITY COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING Government Operations & Ordinances City Hall - Armand A. Bolduc City Council Chamber 2:30 P.M. 10/21/2025 - Minutes 1. CALL TO ORDER Chairman Haynes called the meeting to order at 2:32 PM. 2. SALUTE TO THE FLAG Councilor Felch led the salute to the flag. 3. RECORDING SECRETARY Hilary Young, Assistant City Clerk 4. ROLL CALL Assistant City Clerk Young called the roll of the following committee members: Councilor Haynes, Councilor Felch and Councilor Cheney. Chairman Haynes confirmed that all members were in attendance, and a quorum was established. 5. STAFF IN ATTENDANCE Kirk Beattie, City Manager, Wes Anderson, Public Works Director, Tim Joubert, Fire Chief, Rob Mora, Planning Director and Tyler Carmichael, Assistant Planning Director. 6. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 7. GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS & ORDINANCES (Haynes, Felch, Cheney) 7.A. Development of proposed changes to parking restrictions in downtown parking lots At the October 14, 2025 City Council meeting a request was made to refer a discussion regarding overnight and daytime parking for residents in the downtown area to the Government Operations and Ordinances Subcommittee. City ordinance prohibits overnight parking in any City Parking lot. The previous City Manager (Scott Myers) did not want to change the ordinance. He instructed me to create a pass system that allows apartment renters to park overnight in the Main Street and Beacon Street West parking lots. I issue the passes to the property owner or their management companies, and they control the passes. I have provided passes to the landlords of the following properties: 610 Main, 660 Main, 674 Main, and 12 Pleasant. Other buildings that could be rehabilitated and modified include apartments: Pemaco Building 622 -634 Main and Masonic Building 653 Main. Other considerations: Colonial Theater Condos – City Council approved a 50-year lease agreement, Commercial Core District Overlay which allows buildings outside of downtown to count parking spaces in the downtown against their needs for parking. I have provided passes to the landlords of the following properties: 610 Main, 660 Main, 674 Main, and 12 Pleasant. Other buildings that could be rehabilitated and modified include apartments: Pemaco Building 622 -634 Main and Masonic Building 653 Main. Other considerations: Colonial Theater Condos – City Council approved a 50-year lease agreement, Commercial Core District Overlay which allows buildings outside of downtown to count parking spaces in the downtown against their needs for parking. Issues to consider: l Impact of parking spaces committed to buildings outside of downtown and in the commercial core district. l What point do parking spaces for apartments/condos restrict parking for employees and shoppers. l · Overnight parking/night parking during the winter. 1. Currently direct residents to park in the parking garage. 2. Future designated on lot for winter storm parking that lot is cleared of snow later. The following are paragraphs from the parking ordinances: § 221-33 Municipal parking lots. A. Parking time limits at all City parking lots shall be determined at the discretion of the City Council. B. There shall be no overnight parking in any City parking lots. C. No bicycles shall park in the parking garage located on Beacon Street East. D. Parking shall be permitted all day in all City parking lots except as limited in Subsections E and F below. E. Motor vehicles shall not exit from the northerly entrance of the municipal lot adjacent to Beacon Street West. § 221-34 Parking time limits. A. "Fifteen-minute parking" shall mean that no vehicle shall stop or stand for more than 15 minutes at a time from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday or from 9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. on a Friday, holidays and Sunday excepted, unless otherwise ordered. B. "Thirty-minute parking" shall mean that no vehicle shall stop or stand for more than 30 minutes at a time from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday or from 9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. on a Friday, holidays and Sundays excepted, unless otherwise ordered. C. "One-hour parking" shall mean that no vehicle shall stop or stand for more than one hour at a time from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday or from 9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. on a Friday, holidays and Sundays excepted, unless otherwise ordered. D. "Two-hour parking" shall mean that no vehicle shall stop or stand for more than two hours at a time from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday or from 9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. on a Friday, holidays and Sundays excepted, unless otherwise ordered. § 221-35 Overnight parking, stopping or standing. A. No vehicle shall be parked on a public street to remain continuously so parked during the period from 12:00 midnight to sunrise, except in case of emergency, and any vehicle so parked during the period from 12:00 midnight to sunrise shall, at the discretion of the Police Department, be towed away at the expense of the owner of said vehicle. B. No part of any two-wheeled vehicle shall extend beyond the width of the space, as defined by the  A. No vehicle shall be parked on a public street to remain continuously so parked during the period from 12:00 midnight to sunrise, except in case of emergency, and any vehicle so parked during the period from 12:00 midnight to sunrise shall, at the discretion of the Police Department, be towed away at the expense of the owner of said vehicle. B. No part of any two-wheeled vehicle shall extend beyond the width of the space, as defined by the parking stripes, or beyond the limits of the length of the space, as defined by the curb, sidewalk or other designation on one end and the ends of the painted lines on the other. Public Works recommends that the Planning Department determine the future downtown residential parking needs and their impact on available spaces for employees and shoppers Director Anderson presented the staff report. Councilor Felch asked City Manager Beattie to see what other cities do. City Manager Beattie stated that Concord and Rochester have similar permits as Laconia. There was a discussion on how to define a time limit, whether its hourly parking or specific times. City Manager Beattie stated that the permit system they have in place is working. Councilor Felch made a motion to table, seconded by Councilor Cheney. The motion is nondebatable. The item is tabled. 7.B. Request to change the parking restrictions on Hill Street Presently Hill Street is no parking on both sides of the street from Clinton St to Cole Street. This is the entire length of the street. There are 6 residences whose driveways access Hill Street between Clinton and Pear Streets. Councilor Soucy received a request from a resident to eliminate the parking restrictions on Hill Street. Public Works does not recommend eliminating the restrictions due to the width of the road and the steepness of the hill on the street. The restrictions on Hill Street between Clinton and Pear Streets could be changed to no parking on one side of the Street. Due to the topography at the intersection of Clinton and Prospect Streets, Emergency vehicles may not be able to access Prospect and Cole Streets from Clinton Street. Thus, it may or may not be possible to change the restrictions between the two streets. Public Works asked the Chiefs of the Fire and Police Departments their position on the request. · The Fire Chief asks that Hill Street remain no parking on both sides of the street for the entire length of Hill Street. · The Police Chief did not respond. Public Works recommends that the Government Operations and Ordinance Subcommittee recommend that the City Council retain the no parking on both sides of the road restrictions on Hill Street for its entire length. Councilor Felch asked if there are any parking spots in the area. Chief Joubert stated that Hill St is a challenging road even with daylight. He would like to see Hill St remain no parking on both sides of the road. Councilor Cheney made a motion to leave Hill St as no parking, seconded by Councilor Felch. Discussion: None. The motion passed with all in favor. 3-0 8. CITIZENS REQUESTS TO COMMENT ON CURRENT AGENDA ITEMS 9. Any other business that may come before the Council  The motion passed with all in favor. 3-0 8. CITIZENS REQUESTS TO COMMENT ON CURRENT AGENDA ITEMS 9. Any other business that may come before the Council 10. ADJOURNMENT Chairman Haynes adjourned the meeting at 2:51 PM. Respectfully submitted, Hilary Young, Assistant City Clerk