The Ames City Council approved an ordinance on Tuesday increasing parking fines around Jack Trice Stadium during home football game days and during special events in the area.

The council voted on May 27 to increase parking tickets on game days and during special events from $40 ($35 if paid within seven days) to $75 ($70 if paid within seven days). This vote put the policy into law.

Past Ticketing: Ames Police Chief Geoff Huff said in the 2022-23 fiscal year, 879 game day tickets were written. That total increased to 1,300 the following year. Over the past three years, 52 vehicles were issued three or more tickets accounting for 193 citations.

Current Standing: “Parking adjacent to Jack Trice Stadium and the future CyTown area has continued to be a source of congestion during game days,” according to the city manager’s recommendation on the matter, “creating an environment where it is difficult for vehicles to traverse the streets. This is particularly problematic for emergency responders, especially when driving larger vehicles such as an ambulance or fire apparatus.

“The current citation system no longer seems to be a strong deterrent as the cost of a ticket and the cost to park legally begin to converge. Staff believes a higher citation amount will be more effective at generating compliance.”