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Medford coffee meeting soured by parking tickets Comment By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted Feb. 9, 2016 at 4:29 PM Updated Feb 9, 2016 at 5:14 PM By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted Feb. 9, 2016 at 4:29 PM Updated Feb 9, 2016 at 5:14 PM » Social News Some Medford Rogue Rotary Club members are the latest to suggest the city of Medford might as well post a “Not Welcome” sign downtown after they were ticketed for exceeding a one-hour parking limit. The members of the group came out of a Tuesday morning meeting at Limestone Coffee on Main Street to discover they had overstayed their allotted time. “We were surprised to see a whole line of cars with parking tickets on them,” said Andy Batzer, who said the tickets appeared on their cars after Rotary members met to discuss a free youth basketball program the club provides at Kids Unlimited. "That's an expensive cup of coffee." The meeting started at 7:30 a.m. and was supposed to last one hour, which is the time limit listed on the parking signs along Main Street, but Batzer said they ended up talking until just before 9 a.m. Each of them ended up getting a $25 ticket. “Would we consider someplace else for more convenient parking?” Batzer said. “Probably.” The Rotary members discovered that Limestone offers a voucher to offset the cost of a ticket, so those who returned to pick up the voucher would pay only $5. But the parking situation has left many of the Rotary members furious and has touched on an issue that has frustrated many merchants in the downtown. “It’s so unwelcoming,” said Tom Tangeman, a Rotary member who said he contacted Mayor Gary Wheeler about the issue. He said that the vouchers are a burden for the local businesses. According to the city, 66 merchants in the downtown parking area have purchased vouchers. Many merchants have complained over the years that one hour is not long enough for a parking space in the downtown, particularly for customers who want to have a leisurely lunch or to visit multiple stores. Lynette O’Neal, assistant to the deputy city manager, said the city has tried to find a way to make the parking situation work for everyone. Merchants previously complained that Rogue Community College students were taking up many of the spaces when the time limit was two hours. O’Neal said the average class at RCC lasts 80 minutes, so anything longer than that would likely lure more students back to parking along Main Street. However, she said that even though it is posted as a one-hour parking limit, the downtown parking spaces are actually good for 70 minutes before a ticket will be issued. Thanks to the shorter time limit, though, O’Neal said motorists will generally find an available parking space in the downtown. She said two-hour spaces are available in the nearby parking garage, which is a short distance from Main Street. Saturday is a popular day for many motorists because parking tickets aren’t handed out, but it also means fewer spaces are available. “We still get complaints on Saturday because businesses say there is no parking for customers, particularly during events,” O’Neal said. “The employees know they can park on the street, too.” The Medford Parking Commission might soon recommend to City Council to add a pay-by-phone option in the one-hour spaces downtown, O’Neal said. “It’s an option to help some people out there,” she said. O'Neal said that one of the Rotary members contacted Diamond Parking Services, which issues the tickets. "Someone from Diamond told the Rotary member about the voucher available at Limestone," she said. Suzann Rushing, one of the owners of Facets Jewelry Studio on Main Street, said she’s happy to validate tickets to keep her customers happy. “It’s an unpleasant experience when they’re down here doing business,” she said. And the signs can be difficult for customers, as well, she said. The parking garage has signs listing two-hour parking, while individual spaces have three-hour limits painted on them. “I can understand why people are confused,” Rushing said. She said the nature of her business often requires more than an hour to help out customers as they decide on a purchase. Her husband, Robert, said he’s gotten a ticket for unloading supplies while parked in a yellow zone next to his business. "Everybody thinks you can unload in a yellow zone," he said. While some merchants ask for $5 from customers for their share of the ticket, Facets doesn't. “We pay for it anyway,” Robert said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter @reporterdm . By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted Feb. 9, 2016 at 4:29 PM Updated Feb 9, 2016 at 5:14 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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