In an effort to encourage those who drive to Old Town to park in local garages instead of on the streets, parking rates for street parking may increase in Old Town. And, more streets may be getting parking meters.
An ordinance is up for discussion at the June 14 city council meeting that will allow Transportation & Environmental Services (and its designees) the ability to implement the "recommendations of the Old Town Area Parking and Work Group for encouraging long term visitors to use off-street parking facilities," according to city documents. In addition, the ordinance will expand the parking zones eligible for paid parking programs.
The proposed ordinance is suggesting changes that would allow residential blocks adjacent to currently-metered areas to be metered: "On residential blocks adjacent to metered areas, which are often occupied by vehicles belonging to non-residents of the district, a pay by phone parking fee may be implemented that requires non-residents of the district to pay to park on the block during the posted times." Local residents will have some input into the process, including the ability to request, by petition, an assessment by T&ES as to whether the block should have metered parking.
Under current conditions in Old Town, there are 21 metered blocks between the waterfront and Washington Street, mostly along and adjacent to King Street. Those blocks collect an average of $1,300 in parking fees per month, per block. (The city's data does not clarify it that includes tickets issued for parking violations on those blocks.) Parking is $1.75 per hour.
In order to incentivize garage usage, a city presentation indicates the following ideas:
"Proposed resolution allows staff to establish parking rates in garages, lots, and Residential Pay by Phone blocks up to a maximum rate of $5/hr.
Potential adjustments:
- Different parking rates at different times of day, or on different days of the week
- Changing the hourly rate at garages to be less than the hourly rate at the meter ($1.75).
- Charging different rates for different garages
- Charging higher rates at residential Pay-by-Phone blocks to encourage parking at the meter or in the garages."
Local parking garages are rarely at-capacity in Old Town, coming closest to capacity only on Small Business Saturday. Usage is slightly higher in the summer months compared to the winter. Reasons may include a lack of awareness about the ability to park in these garages, or pricing, as some garages are significantly more expensive than on-street parking.
In the following map from the city's staff presentation, solid blue lines indicate places where parking is already metered. The solid red lines are blocks where paid parking is already implemented (pay by phone only), and the dotted red lines are where pay-by-phone parking could be implemented.
Old Town is losing at least one garage due to development: The parking garage at the corner of Duke and Union streets will be demolished to make room for high-end townhomes.
