Parking may become more limited for those who live and work in downtown Seymour.

The city is looking to change all parking spots along St. Louis Avenue, both eastbound and westbound sides, to two hours in an effort to free up more places for shoppers and others doing business downtown.

People spending more than two hours should be using one of the city’s seven free parking lots or face being ticketed, said Councilman Brian “Bubba” D’Arco, chairman of the thoroughfare and drainage committee.

It’s an issue that has been debated for years by city officials, business owners and the public.

Last April, two city councilmen — Shawn Malone and Matt Nicholson — led a town hall meeting to talk about possible solutions. No changes were made at that time; however, the idea for all on-street parking to be limited to two hours was suggested.

Currently, about 40 of the parking spaces on the south side of the railroad tracks between Walnut Street and Jeffersonville Avenue are not regulated, while those on the north side between Indianapolis Avenue and Walnut Street have limits.

The city council gave initial approval Oct. 10 to an ordinance limiting all of the parking to two hours. The time-limited parking areas would be in effect only from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

A final vote will be taken during Monday’s council meeting at 7 p.m.

Councilman Jim Rebber was the only one to vote against it last week.

If the spots are changed to two-hour parking, Rebber said most of it won’t be used because there are no stores along the route.

He said many of the unregulated spots, especially between Chestnut and Walnut streets, are used by people who work downtown.

“I am concerned that when it snows, there will not be a good way to get them to work,” he said. “Basically, we are forcing people who have parked there for years to move to the old Robertson Lot and filling it up.”

D’Arco said employees also can park in the B&O lot east of Indianapolis Avenue behind the Knights of Columbus building.