By Kathryn Reed

Anti-parking meter advocates have won. At least for now.

“I don’t think parking is off the table, but it is off the table for the moment,” South Lake Tahoe Mayor Claire Fortier told Lake Tahoe News.

The City Council was expected to vote on the issue March 6. Now it won’t be on the agenda.

“Why bother have it go to a vote if there is no real resonance with the council and the community?” Fortier asked.

But it had resonated with this five-member council for the past year. They approved the parking plan last spring via the strategic plan, business plan and five-year budget. They reinforced the decision last fall with the approval of the current budget.

Now they and city staff are backpedaling.

At a Feb. 22 meeting, residents, second homeowners and business people spoke out against installing meters in various places in town, saying it will change the complexion of the town, hurt businesses and put vehicles in neighborhoods that normally wouldn’t be there.

While the city has $300,000 in revenue in the current budget from parking, that amount is not wiped off the books by this decision. That is because money is still coming in from the meters near Heavenly Village and parking citations.

To make up the shortfall the city is counting on the business license tax passing in June to bring in about $200,000. That is not in the 2011-12 budget.

“Ninety-eight percent of the businesses would see a reduction and the automatic CPI goes away. The increase comes from large businesses paying their fair share,” Nancy Kerry, de facto assistant city manager, said.

What happens if that $200,000 doesn’t come in is an unknown.

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Next City Council meeting info:

• March 6, 9am

• Lake Tahoe Airport

• Council will be discussing how to improve the roads.

• Here is the agenda.