It appears that it already is legal for Bellevue to extend street sweeping parking restrictions year 'round.

Council's safety committee recommended earlier this month that the restrictions be extended beyond the current April through November season to allow for easier snow removal and street repairs in the winter.

A motion to extend the restrictions was removed from Tuesday's council agenda after officials reported that a review of the borough's parking ordinance does not limit the no-parking rule to a particular time of the year.

The ordinance cannot be enforced without the proper signage, which currently list the seasonal dates. Officials have suggested using tape to change the signs.

Council member Linda Woshner said that she has been cntacted by a number of residents who oppose year 'round parking restrictions because of the limited number of parking spaces avaiulable in many neighborhoods.

"I don't believe this is a very popular ordinance," Woshner said.

"Nobody's happy about moving their cars year 'round," agreed council member Jane Braunlich.

Council president Kathy Coder, however, said that she polled residents of her street and they had no problem with the idea.

There was some difference of opinion about when the ordinance actually would be enforced. Mayor George Doscher said that the restrictions probably would not be enforced for large snow events because parking spaces would be too limited by the snow. He said that the ordinance would could be enforced during small snow accumulations. Safety committee chairman David Gillingham Jr., however, stated the exact opposite, that the restrictions would not be in place during "2-inch" snows, only for larger snow events.