The City Council approved a plan to increase the parking restrictions on Winslow Way between SR 305 to Grow Avenue.

The current two hour parking restriction signs will be changed to provide three hours for downtown shoppers. The change will be in effect before Jan. 1.

The change is temporary and the city will present a progress report by March 31 to discuss how the increase is received in the community.

The city staff worked with the Chamber of Commerce and Bainbridge Island Downtown Association, and contacted downtown merchants to discuss where parking restrictions could be increased for shoppers.

Councilors Kirsten Hytopoulos and Debbi Lester expressed concerns that citizens will face doubled parking fine violations of $50 and another parking enforcement officer in 2011, and only a portion of the downtown area will be extended to a three hour limit.

The plan was approved with Hytopoulos and Lester voting no.

Other downtown parking considerations will be discussed with the possibility of adding additional parking mitigation prior to the start of the Winslow Way reconstruction project that is scheduled for 2011.