Excelsior wants to have more paid parking downtown, and it’s upsetting some business owners.            

The Excelsior City Council is expected to vote Monday night on adding paid parking to three more streets around downtown.

The city says adding more paid parking will help pay for a downtown parking garage set to open next month. Nearly 250 spaces in the ramp will be free except during special events.

“We want to make sure that our tax payers aren’t having to take the burden of that parking structure all on their own,” Excelsior City Manager Kristi Luger said. “We’re trying to find a good blend of charging some of the visitors to come, but we don’t want to overcharge the visitors so they don’t want to come anymore. Charging the businesses, but we don’t want to overcharge the businesses, so they can’t afford to be here anymore and then also having the city have a stake in the game as well.”

Ann Johnson, owner of 2nd Street Salon, is against the plan to add more paid parking.

“A lot of people are upset,” Johnson said. “We think it’s chasing all the locals out and our regular clients out.

If approved by the city council, people would start paying for parking on those three new downtown streets starting in January.