Council Moving Forward on Paid Shopper Parking

Common Council introduced an ordinance last night that, if passed in November, will begin the process to institute a paid shopper parking program once again in Summit.

Unlike the proposal Parking Services Manager Rita McNany made in July which was defeated by council, the new rates maintain the current two-hour complimentary parking structure. After that, the structure increases to $2 for up to three hours, $4 for up to four hours, $8 for up to five hours, $10 for up to six hours, $20 for up to seven hours and for a lost ticket. These fees and time limits will be in operation Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

"We're really trying to be more customer friendly," McNany said.

Based on the Desman Parking study in 2008, McNany's report estimates revenue from the change (excluding the Bank Street lot) to be $691,598.

There will be a hearing on the matter Nov. 3. McNany estimates the program could be in place by May 2011.

McNany requested $700,000 in the 2010 capital improvement plan for the capital investment for the new equipment, parking lot improvements, and signage.

Councilwoman Ellen Dickson said if council decides to move forward with this proposal, the shopper lots will need to be re-striped in order to comply with the number of handicap spaces required and to widen the extremely tight spaces.

"Hopefully this will pay for itself in two years," Dickson said.

McNany also recommended that a current part-time collection assistant be made full time and a part-time bookkeeper hired to "assist in the reconciliation of revenues, monitor the daily intercom, usage report, and a validation program," the report reads. "Revenues generated from the program will support these two positions."

But as he has said time and time again, Councilman Tom Getzendanner voiced his opposition to any city parking program and recommended moving to privatizing parking.

"I don't think we should own and operate our own parking," he said.

Councilman Steve Murphy said he didn't feel this pricing structure was enough of a deterrent to downtown employees who are parking in the shopper lots for free when they are supposed to be parking, by permit, in the Tier Garage.

"This is the first step," McNany said. "The next step would be to build more parking."

The type of technology the city would use was also a sticking point for some council members. While Dickson said she personally doesn't like systems with a gate, they are also considering license plate recognition technology or paystations.

Councilman Rich Madden also took issue with McNany's revenue projections, stating that she didn't take into consideration holidays and overestimated the turnover rate per parking space.

"The issue is really one of capacity," said City Administrator Chris Cotter. "How do we make best use of existing capacity that satisfies all user groups."

The ordinance introduction passed 5-2 with Murphy and Getzenndanner as the two dissenting votes.