(Okoboji)– The Okoboji city council stopped short Tuesday of officially adopting an ordinance restricting parking along portions of Lakeshore Drive.
The council voted five-to-nothing to hold the first reading of the ordinance; a motion to waive the second and third reading and adopt the ordinance failed on a vote of two-to-three, with council members Susan Larsen and Jim Delperdang voting in favor and David Thoreson, Les Marousek and Sharlene Eckard voting no. The vote was similar on a proposed amendment to increase fines for violating the no-parking ordinance from five dollars currently to 25-dollars.
A standing room-only crowd crammed its way into the Okoboji city hall last evening. The crowd flowed out of the council chambers into a nearby lobby and the front doors to city hall.
Butch Parks, who owns Okoboji Boats and O’Farrell Sisters Restaurant, again accused the city of discrimination and harrassment, saying the proposed restrictions are intended to strangle his businesses. He threatened litigation against the city if the council adopts the parking restrictions. Parks claims those complaining about the on-street parking is just a minority and that they’re part of a conspiracy against him. Councilman David Thoreson differed, saying he and other council members have received stacks of e-mails and letters and numerous phone calls from people who are not in favor of Parks’ operations.
In voting against motions to waive the second and third readings and to adopt the ordinance, councilman Les Marousek said he and couple of other council members are leery about cutting off too much parking to the O’Farrell Sisters.
The proposed ordinance revisions will come back to the council for a second reading at the next regular meeting June 14th. The council had originally discussed bringing it up at a special meeting May 24th, but decided to hold off until the next regular meeting.
