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HOUGHTON - The Houghton City Council approved changes to parking on Shelden Avenue Monday in advance of the streetscape project beginning next week, including the introduction of free one-hour parking.

During construction, traffic on Shelden Avenue will be reduced to one lane; the north side of Shelden will be converted to angled parking. The south side will also have deliveries from 7 a.m. to noon, then be available for customer parking from noon until 2 a.m.

Both before and after construction, there will be one-hour free parking for customers. Employers or apartment residents do not get a free hour, but are not subject to a ticket if they are unloading.

For employees and downtown residents, tickets will be issued when the vehicle is identified.

"We think we know who the people are that live and work downtown," MacInnes said. "We sat down with (Police Chief) John (Donnelly) and (parking officer) Sandy (Houle) and said 'Is it possible to make this work?'"

If a customer has received a ticket, they can take it to any business or the police department to be voided. The information will be printed on the ticket.

City Manager Scott MacInnes said the posts for parking meters would likely be converted to signs advertising parking.

MacInnes said the goal of the changes is to have 20 percent of the spaces open at any time.

Councilman Lee Hauswirth said the council was still open to hearing different ideas.

"If someone suggests something better, we can try it," he said. "It's not set in stone."

Detours for the project begin on Thursday. Temporary signals will be installed at Third and Fourth streets on M-26.

Zenner said the angled parking should be in place by this weekend.

In other action, the council:

met as the Rental Housing Board and approved rental licenses for 301 W. Lakeshore Drive (the third floor of the Aspirus Keweenaw Medical Arts building) and 1202 College Ave. Both votes were unanimous, as required if a rental property meets the city ordinance requirements.

approved spending up to $10,000 at an auction for a scissor lift, a van and a pickup.

decided to choose induction lighting rather than halite bulbs for the new streetlights.

heard a report from Department of Public Works Supervisor Mark Zenner. A water leak was fixed on East Fifth Street last week. Sweeping is starting again after last week's snow.

Zenner said several street signs had been downed, either from snow plows, vandalism or accidents.

heard a report from Donnelly. There had been 129 complaints, 27 arrests, one felony and 23 civil infractions since the last meeting. Some of that was due to Friday's Senior Walk, Donnelly said, though the storm that came in Friday night tamped down activities.

"It wasn't as bad as some years," he said.

Garrett Neese can be reached at gneese@mininggazette.com.