Mountain Home City Council approves rate increase for parking spaces downtown

During a busy meeting of the Mountain Home City Council Thursday night, the council voted to increase the rates for city owned parking spaces downtown and abandon a portion of 8th street once the signal at 8th and Main Street is removed.The rate for the parking spaces is going up, but not as much next year as proposed. There are three parking lots downtown owned by the city which are primarily used by businesses on the square for their employees. The lots are located at the corners of 5th and Baker, 7th and Church and 8th and Main.
The original proposal was to raise the rate from $120 per year per spot to $240. But after discussion, the council voted to raise the rate to $180 for 2026 and then to $240 for 2027. The rate has been at $120 per year since 2000. The money is used for maintenance of the parking lots. The fee is due on or before Jan. 10.

The council voted to vacate a section of 8th Street between Main Street and Hickory Street. Several businesses on that section of the street had petitioned the city, asking to have the street closed once the stoplight at 8th and Main Street is removed, saying that portion of 8th Street would be undesirable as a thoroughfare.

Fire Chief Kris Quick’s request to sell two fire trucks was approved by the council as they have removed from their inventory. They are a tanker and a pumper which were recently replaced by a new tanker and pumper.

The Mountain Home City Council approved two rezonings Thursday night. One is farm land next to the former Dean’s Feed on Highway 5 south from residential R1 to residential R3. A developer plans to build retirement four-plexes on the just over 15 acres.

The other rezoning was from commercial C-3 to residential R-2 for property at 948 Gray Street.

At its last meeting, the council passed an updated billboard and outdoor advertising structure ordinance, clarifying how on-site signs are measured. Thursday night, they passed an amended ordinance to fix a typographical error in that ordinance.

The council also adjusted their January meeting schedule due to New Year’s Day and the Municipal League meeting. The January meetings will now be held on the 8th and 22nd.

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