State leaders have wrung their hands and debated what to do to solve the increasing parking problem on Capitol Hill for more than four months.

No such delay in Salt Lake City. This week, City Council members approved - under an emergency process - a resident-only permit system that will effectively block Capitol Hill visitors from parking in the surrounding neighborhoods.

"We're looking out for our residents," said Mike Barry, a city transportation engineer.

Maybe government just moves slower at the state Capitol. State leaders have talked about shuttling state employees or the public from downtown parking lots, installing parking meters, building structures and moving state workers off the hill for the 45-day session. After a series of meetings with state employees, a task force and two 40-page plans for resolving parking problems at the Capitol, state leaders appear no closer to a solution.

A meeting last month was cancelled when Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s schedule changed. Nearly six weeks later, another meeting has been scheduled for Dec. 29.

"There may be things we do administratively," Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert said this week, without providing any details.

Administrative Services Director D'Arcy Dixon Pignanelli, the driving force behind the parking debate at Capitol Hill, reportedly is crafting a plan to move about 75 workers in her office to a building at the State Fairpark for the six-week session in an effort to open up their parking spaces to the public. Pignanelli said it's "a way to reduce the pressure."

The governor's office has rejected a suggestion to install parking meters and charge the public for parking by the Capitol.

Because the meters would be permanent, Huntsman spokesman Mike Mower said they would be "a long-term solution for a short-term problem."

Pignanelli's plan is a stopgap. Capitol Hill has about 880 available parking spaces, including 300 underground stalls reserved for legislators and state executives.

With 1,100 state employees, several hundred construction workers and the public all competing for that space, cars inevitably spill into the neighborhoods.

Starting Jan. 10, that spillover could be dammed. Non-residents will only be able to park for an hour at a time on selected city streets.

Residents with permits can park all day.

Time restrictions will expire March 10, after the legislative session ends.

In the next month, the city will decide which streets will be affected. For now, planners are considering portions of Wall Street, Apricot Street, 400 North, De Soto, Zane and 500 North. The city will hold a public hearing Wednesday at noon in room 315 at City Hall, 451 S. State, to discuss the idea.

The change in city parking rules will create a crisis on Capitol Hill next month.

State Rep. Ralph Becker, a Salt Lake City Democrat, is frustrated by the delay.

"We could have made a decision a month or more ago," Becker said. "By making a decision so late, it limits our options. The fewer options we have on the table, the more difficult or expensive it's going to be to address the needs of the public."