Due to parking issues on College Hill last winter, the City of Pullman is working toward a parking plan that may result in fees or towing of residents’ vehicles if they are left in the area over winter break.

The plan was discussed Tuesday during a public meeting, mostly led by Police Chief Gary Jenkins.

The city plans to use snow plows to remove ice from 2 – 9 a.m. Monday through Friday on College Hill during winter break. Parking will be prohibited on specific College Hill streets between those hours during fall, spring and winter breaks.

The streets included are Colorado, Campus, Monroe, California, Ruby, Maiden, Maple, Linden, A, B, C and D Streets.

“Streets were getting reduced because of the cars parked on the streets,” Jenkins said. “We found that some of the streets were impassable.”

According to Pullman code, cars parked on the street could be towed after seven days of absence, and can be enforced at any time.

A concern that most community members expressed was about car owners parking on their lawns, instead of using an alternative parking spot on WSU’s campus.

To combat this issue, Jenkins said these residents would face a $14 fine for their first violation, and further charges if repeated.

Chris Boyan, assistant director of operations for WSU Transportation Services, said the university is in the process of finding alternative parking for College Hill residents to park during fall, spring and winter breaks.

“Right now, because of the things that are happening with our parking demand,” Boyan said, “we don’t have the same areas that we had 10 years ago.”

Because newly constructed buildings take up many of the previous campus parking lots, Boyan said, WSU has not found a location for temporary parking spots.

The decision is still up for discussion by the City Council, which will take action on the restricted parking proposal by winter.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect that the meeting was a public meeting, but not a Public Works meeting. Parking will be prohibited on specific College Hill streets from 2 – 9 a.m. in the fall, winter and spring breaks. WSU Transportation is looking for alternative parking during the aforementioned breaks, not the winter season. Towing after seven days is a code in effect now, is not specific to weather and can be enforced anytime.