Noblesville Common Council approves new downtown parking rules

Submitted by City of Noblesville

The Noblesville Common Council has approved downtown parking updates, adding flexibility, consistency, and clearer regulations.

The following updates will go into effect April 23:

• The updated parking policy increases free weekday street parking from two hours to three hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free, no-limit parking will continue evenings after 5 p.m. and weekends.
• Parking meters in the orange and gold lots will be removed. Metered parking in these lots has been $2 per hour, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Free parking in these lots will be available for up to three hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays with no change to the unlimited time on nights and weekends.
• The teal lots at Federal Hill Commons will also feature free, three-hour parking weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with no limit during evenings and weekends.
• Additional free street parking along North 8th and 10th streets is also moving to a three-hour limit from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
• Parking in the Levinson and Federal Hill parking garages will be updated from four hours of free parking to three hours of free parking and $2 thereafter.

“These parking updates keep downtown accessible and welcoming, which aligns with the goals of the Embrace Downtown project,” Mayor Chris Jensen said. “By adding flexibility, we’re making sure community members and visitors continue to dine, shop, and explore our downtown while we make necessary infrastructure upgrades that support the future of downtown Noblesville.”

The Noblesville Common Council heard the first introduction from city staff on March 24 and reviewed the proposed changes again during the Tuesday, April 14 meeting.

“These parking updates were created to better balance the needs of local businesses, visitors, and downtown employees,” Community Engagement Manager Aaron Head said. “Extending the free parking limit to three hours allows everyone to enjoy local dining and shopping without feeling rushed. These changes benefit the entire downtown by creating consistency across all forms of parking and improving visibility of public parking areas, particularly underutilized surface lots.”

“Over the past few years, we’ve heard from business owners that parking in downtown Noblesville needed to be simpler and more flexible,” Common Council Member and Downtown Business Owner Aaron Smith said. “These changes deliver, creating more free time on the street, better access to lots, and a consistent policy across downtown. Whether you’re a resident, business owner, building owner, or visitor, this is a step in the right direction to make it easier to come downtown and support our local businesses.”

All lot signage will be updated to universal public parking standards, along with additional wayfinding signage to direct the public to off-street parking. A new parking map will be added to the city’s website and distributed to businesses.

Noblesville Common Council meetings are live streamed and available to watch later on Hamilton County Television’s Facebook page and the city’s YouTube channel.