City Councilor Allen Bennett has resigned from his role as chairman of the parking committee.

"Unfortunately there are issues that no longer allow me to be effective as chair of this body," he wrote last week in a brief letter announcing his resignation to the committee's members. "The Mayor has asked me to remain on the committee, but given the circumstances, I am not sure that would be a wise decision at this time."

He didn't elaborate further. Yesterday, he did not return a call for comment. Neither did Mayor Jim Bouley.

During Bennett's time leading the committee, the panel recommended the city lift its overnight parking ban downtown - an action the council decided to take on a two-year trial basis.

"I am optimistic that this spring the council will vote to make it permanent," Bennett wrote in his letter.

In September, Bouley appointed Bennett to a new committee created to study the city's parking programs, including their cost and the potential value of privatization. Councilor Keith Nyhan leads that committee.