(Okoboji)– Parking on Lakeshore Drive drew a huge crowd to Tuesday’s Okoboji city council meeting.
After a motion by councilman Jim Delperdang to ban parking on both sides of the street from Smith’s Mobile Homes to Julia Street including areas near O’Farrell Sisters and Okoboji Boats failed, the council voted to ban parking on the lake side of the street from Smith’s Mobile Homes to Julia Street and on both sides of the street on the curve near Okoboji Boats and O’Farrell Sisters. The motion passed four-to-one with Delperdang casting the no vote.
Safety concerns were at the forefront of the matter. A video tape of the congestion during Winter Games weekend that was taken by police was played to the council, showing some of the problems. Council members said Winter Games Weekend and special attractions at Okoboji Boats were contributing factors to the problem. But Butch Parks, who owns Okoboji Boats, tells KUOO news he feels he’s being unfairly singled out for the situation.
Parks added he feels the parking ban is part of an ongoing vendetta he says the city has against him, and he feels the city will hear from seasonal residents once they return this spring and learn about the new restrictions.
City Administrator Dennis Daly tells KUOO news some formalities have to be taken care of before the new parking limitations go into effect. He says the city will have to amend its no parking ordinance and proper signage will have to put in place.
Meanwhile threats of even more lawsuits were being made by both sides last night in connection with the latest flap.
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