The New Ulm City Council voted to remove three parking spots following a recommendation from the safety commission.

City staff received requests from residents at the City Center Apartments to consider parking restrictions at the alley exit onto 1st S. Street between Minnesota and German Street. Currently, there are angled parking stalls on both sides of the alley exit.

City Engineer Joe Stadheim that if a vehicle is parked in these lots, a vehicle exiting the alley would have difficulty seeing oncoming traffic. Residents of City Center Apartments reported there have been near misses exiting this alley. The recommendation was to remove two parking stalls to the west of the alley exit and one stall to the east of the alley exit.

Councilor Les Schultz was concerned about pulling parking spots from the downtown area. He asked if removing three spots was necessary or if two would be enough.

Stadheim said removing two stalls might be enough to improve sight-lines. He said removing the two stalls on the west side of the alley exit was a greater priority. It is harder to see oncoming traffic coming from the west.

Councilor Eric Warmka drove through the alley and said even in a pickup, if a larger vehicle is parked on the west side, it is hard to see anything going up hill.

Schultz asked who uses these parking spots.

Stadheim said there is some rental properties that use the parking stalls. Nearby businesses include Route 1 and The Backerei across the street.

Mayor Kathleen Backer believed this was serious safety issue. Backer previously lived at City Center Apartments and said it was challenging to exit this alley.

Councilor David Christian said he understood the desire to perserve parking, but felt it was better to follow the safety commission recommendation and remove the three parking spots.

He made the motion to approve elimination of the three lots with a second from Warmka and that was passed by the council.