Avoid Large Gatherings to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19
The City of Champaign will continue to promote public safety by closing the City’s downtown parking lots at Neil & Washington and Walnut & Washington at 9:00 PM on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights through September 6, 2020. This change is in response to large social gatherings that have recently taken place in downtown parking lots during the late night and early morning hours.
Weekend visitors to downtown can park in either lot before 9:00 PM and retrieve their vehicles before midnight. At midnight, both parking lots will be secured and vehicles left in the lots will not be able to be retrieved until 7:00 AM. Drivers needing to park downtown past midnight are encouraged to use the Hill Street Parking Deck (123 W. Hill St.).
Champaign Municipal Code Section 33-73(c) states that City parking lots are only to be used for activities directly associated with the parking of or retrieval of vehicles. City-owned parking lots cannot be used for activities including, but not limited to the consumption of alcohol, gambling, or sale of goods or services. Carrying open alcohol or consuming alcohol in parking lots and public roadways are violations of City Ordinances and can result in a City citation with a minimum fine of $205 per violation.
Residents and visitors are reminded that under Governor Pritzker’s Emergency Order, Champaign County is currently in Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan and gatherings of more than 50 people are prohibited. In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, community members are asked to follow all social distancing guidelines, including wearing face coverings in public and avoiding large gatherings.
The Champaign Municipal Code is available to review on the City’s website at champaignil.gov/CityCode.