IRON MOUNTAIN — New parking rules adopted for West A Street and Prospect Avenue near the Izzo-Mariucci Center and Iron Mountain High School Gymnasium are meant to reduce congestion and increase the number of accessible spaces.

Parking on the north and south sides of the 200 block of West A Street — the first block west of Carpenter Avenue — will change to one-hour parking during school hours. Also, the last three parking spaces on the south side of 200 block of West A Street will be marked for handicap parking.

The changes are part of a traffic control order the Iron Mountain City Council approved Monday.

The additional handicap spaces are especially needed during events at the gym, Director of Police and Fire Services Jeff Solka said in a memo to the council. “With the limited accessible parking during larger events around the school, people have used the sidewalk for parking,” he said.

In addition to the handicap parking change, “no parking here to corner signs” will be added to provide clearance west of Carpenter Avenue and at the intersection of West A and Prospect. This will assist with parking enforcement during school hours and during events, Solka said.

“Parking during some events causes the street to be so congested that, if needed, an emergency vehicle would not be able to get to or past the school,” he explained in the memo.

Solka said he collaborated with Iron Mountain Schools Superintendent Jerry Sardina in recommending the changes.

Previously, two-hour parking was permitted on the north side of the 200 block of West A and all-day parking was allowed on the south side.

In other action, the council:

— Noted that GFL’s garbage collection service will change from four days each week to three days, effective Sept. 8. All of Thursday’s collection will move to Wednesday, but most customers will not change days otherwise. A new map is posted on the city’s Facebook page and GFL will place cart hangers at any address that will see a collection day change.

— Will seek bids on removing about 34 trees and stumps across the city, as well as 19 stumps only. Contracting for tree removal allows the public works staff to focus on other projects, City Manager Jordan Stanchina said. The scope of the work will include cutting down the trees, removing all wood and grinding the stumps. Bids are due Aug. 18. Six of the trees listed for removal are on the 600 block of East A Street.

— Adopted guidelines for an archery deer hunt within city limits, including one modification from previous years. The stipulated hunting distance from designated trails will be reduced to 100 feet, down from 200 feet. This will better accommodate archery hunting near the new Pewabic Hill trail system, Stanchina explained. A total of 82 deer were culled in 2024, the most in the 13-year history of the program. Michigan’s archery season opens Oct. 1.

— Reappointed Henry Badini to a three-year term on the Zoning Board of Appeals. One vacancy remains. The panel presides over the zoning ordinance appeals process and hears variance requests. A seat on the Iron Mountain Planning Commission is also open.

— Scheduled a public hearing for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2, on a request to vacate a portion of an alley right-of-way between East Hughitt and East A streets, east of Park Avenue. The request is from Jeff and Mary Beth Moraska, 920 E. A St. There are no city utilities within the right-of-way.

— Scheduled a public hearing for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2, on a request to vacate a portion of an alley right-of-way in 900 block of Jackson Street. The request is from Tim Johnson, 915 Jackson St. There are no city utilities within the right-of-way.

— Learned that the city’s website will be changing to www.ironmountainmi.gov in the near future.

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Jim Anderson can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 85226, or janderson@ironmountaindailynews.com.