RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — A pilot program beginning next month will allow visitors to receive free two-hour parking in five city-owned parking garages in downtown Raleigh. Tuesday, the city council voted to approve the program, which will begin in mid-November. Currently, parking within city-owned garages is free after 7 p.m. on weekdays and on the weekends. Homeowners in North Carolina town alarmed by costly utility bills after cyberattack One of the five garages where the pilot program will be instituted is the Moore Square garage, which is near the Green Monkey on South Wilmington Street. "[The free parking] is awesome," Green Monkey co-owner Rusty Sutton said. "It's going to help people make a decision to come down here. Right now, the first 15 minutes is free. You can't even park and get in here." "Parking is the one thing people continually say about the downtown," he continued. "You have to pay to park. Not anymore." Downtown Raleigh parking garage. The Downtown Raleigh Alliance helped play a pivotal role in getting the pilot program started. "What we really wanted was a way to level the playing field with some of the other shopping and dining areas in the city, make it easier to come, get back downtown, and try it out," DRA president and CEO Bill King said. "This makes it easier during the week, makes it easier for people to have dinner here on weeknights." The program is set to continue through at least the beginning of next year. Businesses and the DRA are planning to make sure visitors are aware of the change.