Downtown parking will again become an issue for the city.

The Casper City Council raised ticket fines last year, hoping to deter people from perpetually parking illegally. The changes will expire at the end of this month.

In today's work session the council will discuss if it wants to keep the changes temporarily before a comprehensive list of parking ordinances is completed, or allow the fines to sunset.

A downtown parking committee met multiple times to decide what would be best for the businesses, residents and patrons. Ultimately, the council decided to raise the fines temporarily and wait for results.

The council will also discuss:

* Due to federal grant decreases, the Weed & Seed program in Casper, which works to improve the community, needs an additional $74,597. The council has the option to either cut the program or help pay for some of the expenses during its third year in operation.

The program faced the same problem last year, and the council agreed to pay $100,000.

* The city's planning department wants the council to reduce maximum block lengths in new developments to help improve walkability. It also wants the council to consider requiring detached sidewalks in new neighborhoods where it would be possible.

* Trifection, LLC, wants to use a special loan from the city that draws on Community Development Block Grant funds. The business owns a building on Collins Drive, which is adjacent to the Old Yellowstone District, an area recently slated for redevelopment.

The loan would be for $50,000. The last loan of this kind was given to DSASUMO, a local Asian Fusion restaurant.

Contact city reporter Christine Robinson at (307) 266-0639 or christine.robinson@trib.com