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Seasonal parking restrictions in Dillon to become permanent

DREW ANDERSEN
summit daily news
Summit Daily/Drew Andersen
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DILLON – Seasonal parking restrictions in Dillon’s Town Center will become permanent this year, and some local business owners are unhappy about the new rules.

On Nov. 1 each year, the parking on town streets and public lots in Dillon’s Town Center become subject to overnight parking restrictions. In an effort to create consistency and eliminate ambiguity, the town is making the restrictions effective year round.

“Over the years (the parking system) had become convoluted and difficult to understand as to when you could park where,” Dillon police chief Joe Wray said.



But some local business owners don’t see the necessity for the new parking restrictions, which prohibit overnight parking from 2-6 a.m. on any town street, right-of-way or town-owned lot other than the rotating Blue and Green lots in the town center which allow for overnight parking on alternating days of the week. The designated area along Lodgepole Street is still available for 72-hour parking, and the upper and lower marina lots will also allow for 72-hour parking when open in the summer.

Jay Hodge, owner of Dalandz in Dillon, said via e-mail that the changes were “nothing more than a solution looking for a problem” and said he would look to relocate his business when his lease expires in 2011.



Other business owners see the restrictions only as a minor annoyance, rather than a complete hindrance to doing business.

“I understand (Wray’s) point of view, but I don’t think he understands the business point of view,” Pug Ryan’s partner and general manager John Maginity. “Either way, I don’t think there will be a huge impact on our business.”

Dillon town manager Devin Granbery said the town will likely continue to have parking issues until it can sell the lots to private entities. The town currently owns about 75 percent of the land in Dillon Center, while private entities own the other 25 percent.

“In most downtown areas, you see that split the other way, with private entities controlling the majority of the land,” Granbery said.

While no immediate plans to sell the town-owned parking lots exist, Granbery said, the town’s Urban Renewal Authority could use the excess land as a bargaining chip to entice developers to build in the town center within the next few years.

SDN reporter Drew Andersen can be contacted at (970) 668-4633 or drewa@summitdaily.com.


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