This is a great piece and I appreciate all of the people who have weighed. The City is under the impression that Dale Kooyman, William Burg, and small group of dedicated emailers speak for the entirety of Midtown. It is nice to see other people give input. This is our neighborhood and we deserve to be heard as well!

There is no simple, painless way to get additional visitor permits from the City so it is ridiculous to even discuss this “pilot program” until the City makes some concrete improvements as to how it does business with Midtown residents regarding issuance of parking passes. A trip to the City to get extra visitor passes will leave you nostalgic for your last visit to the DMV where they treat you better. Let me break it down for you. If you drive then try and find a place that will let you park for more than an hour. This “simple” trip will take at least an hour of your time. Bring something to read while you wait because there is always a very long line. Why is there a line? Parking passes are issued by the same folks that take your money for utility bills and traffic tickets. Yes, there lots and lots of people who pay utility bills and tickets in person. Better plan on going in the afternoon because that counter is only open 12:30 to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. So, there will be no last minute attempts to get passes for a 2nd Saturday because unless you plan ahead, you are out of luck. Hope and pray that you do not get in line behind a bunch of people crying about parking tickets. The “criers” test the patience of the counter people and they will take it out on you when you finally get to the counter. Once at the counter, the examination of the paperwork begins. I think the counter people were trained by former Soviet Union border guards. Next is the prolonged examination of the data on the computer and then the questions. “Why are you getting another visitor permit? You just got one two months ago. Why do you need another? ” You are then treated to more tapping on the computer screen by the clerk and more examination of the paperwork. It feels like they are searching for a reason to say “no” and send you away empty handed. For example, if all of the utility bills are in your spouse/partner’s name and you get “parking permit duty,” you are out of luck. No visitor parking pass for you. If your bills go to a P.O. Box instead of your home address, again you are out of luck. All and all it is a miserable process. I cannot support this “pilot program” without the City first committing to overhauling of the current system regarding visitor passes. The City treats Midtown residents like criminals when we want extra visitor passes and that is not acceptable.