Navigating Columbia

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BY ANGELA HUHMAN

MOVING TO A NEW CITY HAS ITS CHALLENGES. AS YOU’RE

UNPACKING BOXES AND NAVIGATING NEW STREETS TO FIND

THE GROCERY STORE, HERE ARE A FEW OF OUR CITY’S

SYSTEMS TO MAKE SETTLING IN A LITTLE EASIER.

New residents moving to Columbia will automatically receive a voucher within three weeks of signing up for City of Columbia utilities. The vouchers can be redeemed at most local grocery stores for blue recycling and black trash bags, complimentary. If you expected to receive a bag voucher and did not, please contact WasteZero Inc. at 1-800-866-3954. • Columbia uses a dual-stream recycle system, which means

“Fiber” (paper, cardboard, newspaper) and “Containers” (plastic No. 1 to 7, glass, aluminum) are collected separately.

For curbside customers, containers must be placed in the blue bags, while fibers need to be broken down and placed in a paper bag or box. Piles should be clearly separated at the curb. • Items such as demolition debris, automotive parts, hazardous materials, whole tires and felled trees cannot be collected with regular refuse. For disposal options, call 573-874-CITY(2489). • To arrange a free pickup of oversized items, call the Contact

Center or complete the online request form at least 48 hours prior to your scheduled collection day. This includes bulky items such as furniture and carpet (cut in lengths of 4 feet and in rolls not to exceed 2 feet in diameter). For more information, call 573-874-CITY(2489). • Major appliances — washer, dryer, range, freezer, dehumidifier, stove, dishwasher, refrigerator, water heater, air conditioner, trash compactor, conventional oven — will be picked up on your regular collection day. Call 573-874-CITY at least 24 hours before, or submit your request online at least 48 hours before your regular trash day. The appliance will need to be curbside by 7:30 a.m., and an additional fee will be added to your monthly utility bill. Yard Waste Collection • When possible, leaves, grass, twigs and small branches should be dropped off at a yard waste site. Alternatively, they may be placed in a bag by the curb on your regular collection day and taken to the landfill. • Limbs must be bundled and should not exceed 4 feet in length, 2 feet in diameter and 50 pounds per bundle.

Residential Recycling Drop-off Containers • Residential recycling drop-off containers accept the same recyclable items that may be placed curbside. • Please do not deposit plastic shopping bags in the drop-off containers.

Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off • Columbia residents may take their household hazardous waste products to the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW)

Collection Facility at 1313 Lakeview. • The facility is only open on the first and third Saturdays

April through November, 8 a.m. to noon. • No hazardous products are collected curbside. • If your paint can is empty or the paint is completely dry, you can throw it away. To dry any remaining paint, leave the lid off for a couple of days, or use kitty litter to absorb the excess paint. Then throw the can away.

Questions about solid waste or recycling? Call the City of Columbia at 573-874-CITY(2489). Unsure of what recycling goes where or when to leave materials for curbside pickup?

Download the COMO Recycle and Trash app to see directions on how to properly dispose of certain items. Enter your address to receive reminders the day prior to pickup, including any holiday schedule adjustments.

City of Columbia

Downtown Columbia has a vital and growing business district, and with Stephens College, Columbia College and the University of Missouri outlining downtown, there is limited parking. The Municipal Parking Utility maintains all parking garages, surface lots and street meters.

Parking Garages There are six multi-level parking garages in downtown Columbia. The six facilities have a total of 2,300 parking spaces. Parking garages are made up of hourly, permit and reserved spaces. The hourly spaces at Seventh and Walnut currently use a ticket and attendant system. The remaining parking garages utilize pay machines that use a payment-in-advance concept, with the exception of Eighth and Cherry and Short Street, which have parking meters at each hourly space. The payment machines are located at the facility exits. Patrons are required to take note of their parking space as they park and then pay the machine for the space and anticipated period they will be parked there.

Parking garage/lots enforced: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday (Saturday and Sunday are free) Garage parking rates: 50 cents per hour

PARKMOBILE APP

Easy to download, go to Parkmobile.com or scan the QR code on any Parkmobileenabled meter, download the app, register and begin paying for parking via the app. All downtown meters accept payment via the Parkmobile app. Each Parkmobile-enabled meter will have a bright green sticker with a unique four-digit parking zone number. Meeting or appointment runs longer than expected? With the Parkmobile app you can add time to the meter, up to the maximum allowed, remotely from your smartphone. And, you can set reminders so that you are notified before your meter expires.

NEW COMO PARK CARDS

CoMo Park Cards are the new reloadable parking payment cards and are accepted by all downtown meters. CoMo Park Cards can be obtained and reloaded at the Public Works department office on the third floor of City Hall. 10th & Cherry Street 1000 Cherry St. Year built - 1995 Levels - 4 Total spaces - 276 Hourly spaces - 104 Reserved spaces - 0 Covered permit spaces - 85 Uncovered permit spaces - 79 Disabled access spaces – 8 Sixth & Cherry Street 555 Locust St. Year built - 1997 Levels - 4 Total spaces - 377 Hourly spaces - 78 Reserved spaces - 0 Covered permit spaces - 176 Uncovered permit spaces - 115 Disabled access spaces – 8 Eighth & Cherry Street 14 S. Eighth St. Year built - 1968 Renovated - 1999 Levels - 4 Total spaces - 173 Hourly spaces - 39 Reserved spaces - 49 Covered permit spaces - 79 Uncovered permit spaces - 0 Disabled access spaces – 6 Eighth & Walnut Plaza Garage (ticket and attendant system) 17 N. Eighth St. Year built - 1986 Levels - 4 Total spaces - 353 Hourly spaces - 99 Reserved spaces - 37 Covered permit spaces - 124 Uncovered permit spaces - 85 Disabled access spaces – 8 Fifth & Walnut Street 500 E. Walnut St. Year built - 2011 Levels - 9 Total spaces - 701 Hourly spaces - 78 Reserved spaces - 48 Covered permit spaces - 484 Uncovered permit spaces - 78 Disabled access spaces – 13 Short Street 1110 E. Walnut St. Year built - 2013 Total spaces - 420 Hourly spaces - 48 Reserved spaces - 14 Permit spaces - 209 Disabled access spaces – 9 Valet spaces - 36 Hotel spaces beyond gate - 103 Parking employee spaces - 1 Street Meters Columbia also offers 10 additional off-street surface lots in the downtown business district, with 535 off-street parking spaces. Additionally, the Utility maintains 1,683 meters on street. Parking meters enforced: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday (Sunday is free) On-street Meter Rates: 60 cents per hour downtown (north of Locust Street) and $1 per hour in the campus zone (south of Locust Street) Meter domes are color-coded to signify the maximum time allotted to each meter. The following colors correspond to maximum times: 10-hour meters – Green 5-hour meters – Orange 4-hour meters – Purple 2-hour meters – Gray 1-hour meters – Red 24-minute meters – Yellow l