In Evergreen, a Colorado community with a small downtown, free public parking spaces are now coveted and in short supply. Paid parking systems now dominate the downtown, and while validation is possible, locals have been grumbling over parking rates and stiff penalties for violations in privately owned lots.
“It just discourages me from wanting to come down and park in that big parking lot,” said Kathy Boatman of Pine, talking about a lot on Plettner Lane that recently added a pay system.
She’s not the only one. Evergreen mom Heather Taylor got a note about non-compliance when she parked in the lot Sept. 10. That was the day of the shooting at Evergreen High School…