Ashville residents will need to bite the bullet and find a parking spot for quick trips into local stores after a parking ordinance was passed Monday.

As a result of citizen complaints surrounding shopping centers—especially the Piggly Wiggly shopping center, the city council officially passed an ordinance prohibiting parking in fire lanes in front of area businesses.

 “We’ve got handicap parking in front of every store, so there is no reason to park in those fire lanes,” Mayor Robert McKay said.

McKay said people have been voicing concerns about the practice for the last three months. He cited a recent medical emergency at the drugstore where someone had parked in front, blocking emergency medical personnel from having easy access to do their job.

McKay said there will be some lenience before fines are assessed, but citizens need to begin parking correctly now.  

“We’re just wanted to make sure that we had an ordinance so the police could enforce it. We’re not going to try to get in everyone’s pockets right off the bat,” McKay said. “We’re going to issue written warnings for the first case scenarios, but then there will be fines.”

According to the ordinance, violators will be fined $25.  

In other actions:

* $5,669 was approved to pay off the water tank loan at Union State Bank. The city had been making $1,100 payments each month, and paid off the loan through water department funds to eliminate the monthly payment.  With this lump-sum payment, the $200,000 tank has been paid in full.

* The city agreed to pay $5,000 in utility bills assessed to the Ashville Youth Association, which runs youth sports programs in the area. McKay said the charges stemmed from the cost of running the lights for youth football games and practices.

* Adjustment was made in St. Clair County Library’s water bill, which totaled $103. McKay said it’s customary for the city to make adjustments in the event of a catastrophic water leak or other similar circumstance.

* A copy of the city’s annual audit was presented to the council, and will likely be approved at their next meeting.