It won't happen overnight, but someday soon in Salt Lake City you may see electric cars recharging their batteries by plugging in to newfangled parking meters or tethering to outlets in downtown parking lots.

The City Council this week approved a two-part legislative action that urges Mayor Ralph Becker to explore opportunities to support electric vehicles in public settings.

Specifically, the council wants to list available alternative-fueling stations on the city's Web site and ponder grants to encourage business owners to install electrical outlets at stalls reserved for electric vehicles. The city also will investigate adding plug-in systems when it purchases its new credit-card parking meters.

The move is the brainchild of Councilman Soren Simonsen, a green-building architect who drives an alternative-fuel car and a scooter.

Part two contemplates amending the city's parking ordinance to require all new parking lots to include electrical charging stations. It also would implement the U.S. Green Building Council credit standards, which call for a minimum number of car-pool stalls, a minimum number of parking spaces for alternative-fuel cars and provisions for bicycle and scooter parking.

- Derek P. Jensen