People leaving downtown New Glarus late at night will soon have an additional hour before overnight parking restrictions begin after the Village Board approved a change requested by downtown businesses.

The board approved Ordinance 26-09 last week, shifting the prohibited parking period in designated downtown streets and municipal lots from 2-6 a.m. to 3-7 a.m.

The change addresses a conflict between the village’s existing parking rules and the hours some downtown establishments are permitted to remain open. Businesses can remain open until 2 a.m. on weekdays and 2:30 a.m. on weekends, meaning customers and employees could technically be parked in restricted areas when the existing 2 a.m. prohibition began. The Public Works and Safety Committee, police department, public works director and village attorney had recommended the change.

The new ordinance keeps the same four-hour overnight parking restriction but moves it one hour later. Instead of prohibiting parking from 2-6 a.m., the affected areas will be restricted from 3-7 a.m.