The county board Tuesday approved a parking ban on Bridge Avenue between Hammer Road and Hershey Street during daytime on school days.

Wednesday, February 06, 2002

The county board Tuesday approved a parking ban on Bridge Avenue between Hammer Road and Hershey Street during daytime on school days.

The ban applies to both sides of the street between 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

According to Sue Miller, Highway Department, Bridge Avenue has the highest amount of traffic -&160;6,800 cars a day – in the county. The parked vehicles aggravate the traffic flow and impose a danger for a traffic safety, she said.

Many of the cars belong to Albert Lea High School students, according to Miller. The school parking lot requires a fee, and no street parking is allowed on nearby Y.H. Hanson Avenue and Hammer Road around the school.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the board:

– Authorized tax abatement for the victims of a tornado last May.

A state law allows an owner of a property that has been accidentally or unintentionally damaged to apply for a property tax reduction for two years. To qualify for the measure, the structure must have been damaged at least 50 percent and must be uninhabitable or unusable.

According to an assessor’s report as of July 16 last year, 23 properties were eligible for the abatement at that time, and the maximum fiscal impact would be $11,000 for 2002.

– Accepted a mental and child health grant subcontract with the Albert Lea Family Y in the amount of $2,500.

– Authorized the environmental services department to update the county feedlot program.

– Changed renewal of a joint powers agreement with the Family Services Collaborative from every five years to one year.