ZELIENOPLE — Residents may not have to worry about electronic kiosks for the municipal lot behind the Kaufman House.

Borough council will vote soon on free parking for the lot, planned to have over 100 spaces, after discussion Monday evening.

“I’m delighted we’re doing something,” said Allen Bayer, council president.

The new parking regulations will be voted on by council via ordinance.

The lot, which is set to open to the public in late December, may have free three-hour parking similar to the current two-hour free parking on Main Street.

Parking would be enforced from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, the same as for Main Street.

Council and other officials previously planned to use an electronic kiosk for users to pay for a parking spot. However, with construction on Main Street for the borough’s revitalization coming soon, officials wanted to find a way to be “business friendly” while work goes on.

“They wanted to have a place for people to go while they get this all sorted out,” borough police Chief Jim Miller said. “It’s going to be kind of tight there and they didn’t want to inconvenience people.”

Miller also said if free parking does not work out, the borough can install the kiosks.

Bayer said another reason for free parking was because people “seemed to be having problems” with the kiosks and that kiosks were not making much money for the borough.

“We’re talking a couple thousand dollars a year,” Bayer said. “It doesn’t seem to be an overly cost-effective solution either.”

The impending ordinance can be changed in the future if needed, and next year should be a “learning period” for how people use the parking lots in the borough, he said.

Miller said the recommended changes come from recent meetings with the parking committee.

He said eventually all municipal lots in the borough could be changed to free parking.

Bayer cited the success of the free parking on Main Street started this year.

He said that the borough only has received one complaint about the free parking on Main Street.

One concern officials had with free parking was the potential for people parking in the lots all day.

Increased fines would be given to violators.

While the ordinance for new regulations has not been drafted, council approved buying a surveillance camera system for the lots. The cameras cost more than $2,000 and about $40 a month for service fees.

While the public would not be allowed to park all night in the lots, apartment tenants could get permits as an exception. Those staying overnight in the hotel portion of the Kaufman House would receive permits.