Mason City, IA- New emergency technology could help area drivers with a public parking hassle.
Last year the Mason City, City Council changed the Alternate Side Parking Ordinance and stopped doing fulltime enforcement.
Now they only enforce the rule when the snow is falling, but some people who are forced to park on the street still complained they didn't know when the ordinance is in effect. That could change thanks to "Code Red."
Roger Crimmins has paid more than his fair share of Mason City parking tickets.
"I'd say 20 plus tickets," he said.
Crimmins has no driveway at his Mason City home, and between mid November and April, moving his car from one side of the street to the other, is a real hassle.
"You may be out sometime and may be doing something and think; I have to run home and move my other car so that I don't get a 15 dollar ticket."
When the city started heavily enforcing its winter parking ordinance, he felt the pinch.
"It was like a separate tax put on us because we didn't have driveways, or garages."
After a year of back and fourth with the city council, the alternate side parking ordinance became a weather based code.
"People understand that the streets need to be cleaned, but people also understand that when they're cleaned they're clean."
But some street parkers aren't always getting the message. After record flooding last year, Mason City and other county agencies purchased a new emergency alert system called "Code Red."
Now governments in Cerro Gordo County can use it to call people in case of emergencies or to get important messages to them, like alternate side parking.
"Help out those people who may not be clued in to the internet or might not have been watching KIMT that particular day or time when it was mentioned on there."
Crimmins says the new ordinance makes more sense, and code red will make it even easier for people like him.
"When it's snowing and the alert comes out and it's necessary then we'll move our cars."
The city is putting a link to the code red system on its website soon. If you are affected by the alternate side parking ordinance you can sign up to get a call.
