ParkingReformPackage

OwenFreemanDaniels ThisisaparkingreformpackagetoNorthampton'sdowntownandsurroundingareas.Ithasyettobe madeintoasetofordinances.Becauseordinanceitselfismostlytechnicalandthisisthebeginning stagesoftheprocess,thediscussionisstartingattheconceptuallevel.Parkingreformisdifficultnot onlybecauseitbalancestheneedsofresidents,tourists,andemployees,butalsobecauseitbalances revenuethecityhascometorelyuponandtheneedsorperceivedneedsofthecommercialdistrict. Parkingreformisalsodifficultbecausemistakesinpolicycancreateabadreputationorconfusion amongtheusers;whileitmaybeeasytofixthelaw,itmaynotbeaseasytorebuildlosttrustor reputation.Someofthesuggestionsinthispackagewillnotbeimmediatelypopular,orappreciatedby all.Thepackageisintendedtobenefitallparties,butnoteverypartwillbenefiteach. Thegeneralgoalsforthisreformpackageare: Providegreaterparkingavailabilityinprimelocationstofacilitatecommerce Reducethechancesofanegativeexperiencefromusers Protecttheneighborhoodssurroundingdowntown Fundtechnologyimprovementsfortheparkingsystem Haveminimalimpactonthecity'srevenue Aquicknote:Commercialdistrictsthathavelimitedparkingarenotusuallybestservedbyfree,low cost,unlimitedparking.Suchpoliciesencourageemployeeandresidentparkingonthecheap,thereby reducingparkingavailabilityinprimespotsforcustomersandtourists.Northamptonarguablyneeds anotherparkingstructuretokeepupwithdemand.Italsoneedstomakepayingforparkingeasier throughnewtechnology.Alloftheseissuesareaddressedhere. Thegeneraloutlineforthisproposalistolistthesubstantivechange,explainit,andgivethereasoning. Then,someanticipatedpositiveandnegativeimpactswillbelisted.Virtuallynochangeisacomplete positiveforallparties,butthatistobeexpectedwhentryingtobalancethemanyvalidneedsand concernsthatarecenteredinNorthampton'sdowntown. Item1 Eliminatethe1hourtimelimitonMainStandsurroundingnearbystreets Rationale Manyuserscomplainthat1hourisjustnotlongenoughtodoallthethingstheywanttododowntown. Manybusinesseshavegivenanecdotalevidenceaboutpotentialcustomersleavingtofeedthemeteror movetheirvehicles.Eliminatingthetimelimitwillallowuserstopayforaslongastheywouldliketo stay,andavoidhavingto"feedthemeter". Advantages Reducenegativeuserexperienceofbeingticketedforgoingoverthe1hourlimit Reducetheneedtoplanoutalltransactionsinanallottedtimeframe Encourageuserstostaylongerdowntownoncethey'vefoundaspot Drawbacks Lowerrevenuefromparkingticketsandparkingfees Increasethelikelihoodthatresidentsandemployeeswilltakeupprimeparkinglocations, therebyloweringparkingavailabilityforcommerce

 Item2 RaisetheparkingfeeforMainStandsurroundingnearbystreetsto$1/hr Rationale Thedesiretocreateparkingavailabilityforcommercemeansrelocatingresidentsandemployeeparking awayfromprimelocations.Previouslythiswassupposedtobeaccomplishedwitha1hourtimelimit, thoughusersoften"fedthemeter".Instead,thispolicyaimsatusingpricetodiscourageresidentsand employeesfromtakingupprimespacesforattractingcustomersandtourists. Advantages Increaseincityrevenues Discourageemployeesandresidentsfromparkinginprimespotsforcommerce Drawbacks PerceptionofhighcostofparkinginNorthampton Feemaynotbehighenoughtodiscourageenoughresidentsandemployees,especiallyifthey cannowlegally"feedthemeter" Maynotraiseasmuchrevenueforcitytoreplacefewerparkingtickets Displacedemployeesandpricesensitivecustomersmayparkforfreeontheclosestresidential streets,angeringneighborhoods Item3 Changethetimesthatparkingfeesareenforcedfrom8AM6PMto8:30AM8:30PM Rationale Northampton'sdowntownhasseenasubstantialriseinrestaurantsandbars,manyofwhichseethe majorityoftheiractivityatnight.Theneedtomaintainparkingavailabilityforthesebusinessesdoesnot stopat6PM.Retailandotherbusinessesthatareprimarilyopenduringthedaydonotfeeltheyare treatedequitablywhentheircustomershavetopayforparkingbutmanyrestaurantandbarcustomers donot.InAmherst,userspayforparkingonthestreetleveloftheparkinggarageuntil8PM.Withthe1 hourparkinglimiteliminated,customersofrestaurantsandbarscanstillpayfortheirparkingwithout havingtoleavetheirmealstofeedthemeter. Advantages Increaseincityrevenues Discourageemployeesandresidentsfromparkinginprimespotsforcommerce Drawbacks PerceptionofhighcostofparkinginNorthampton Perceptionthatthiswillhurtstrugglingrestaurantsandbars Feemaynotbehighenoughtodiscourageenoughresidentsandemployees,especiallyifthey cannowlegally"feedthemeter" Maynotraiseasmuchrevenueforcitytoreplacefewerparkingtickets Displacedemployeesandpricesensitivecustomersmayparkforfreeonnearbyresidential streets,angeringneighborhoods Item4 Dedicate15%ofparkingrevenuetotechnologyandparkingupgrades Rationale Newtechnologiesmakingparkingeasiertopayforwillreducesomeofthenegativeperceptionaround increasingparkingfees.Technologyexistswhereuserscanusetheirdebitcards,creditcards,orcell phonesinsteadofcash.Technologyexistswhereuserscanbuymoretimefortheirvehiclefromany

parkingkiosk,anddonotevenneedtoreturntotheircar.ParkingEnforcementOfficerscanbemore efficientinfindingviolationsthroughnewtechnology.Thereisaneedforotherparkingupgradeslike newsignageforparkinglotsandgarages,andevenfundingasinkingfundforanewparkingstructure. Advantages Makeuserexperienceofpayingforparkinglessnegative Newsignageforhelpingusersfindparkingshouldmakeamoreefficientmarket Fundingforanewparkingstructurecanbesetaside Allowformoreresponsiveparkingpolicyforgiventimes,locations,etc. Allowforgreaterdatacollectiononparkinguse Drawbacks Costtothecityanditsbudget Technologycanbreakornotworkindifferentconditions(coldweather,storms,etc) Newtechnologycanoftenbeconfusingtousers Item5 AdopttheparkingpasssystemforNearbyResidentialStreets(NRS),withminimalcosttoresidentsof thatstreet Rationale Raisingparkingfeesandenforcementtimesdowntownislikelytocreatesomeincentiveforemployees anddowntownresidentstoparkonnearbyresidentialstreets(NRS).Whileparkingonanypublicstreet isapublicassetavailableforgeneralpublicuse,manyneighborhoodsfeeltheyshouldgetpriorityin parkingbecausetheyliveonthestreet.Theparkingpasssystem(currently$45/mo,allowingparkingin longtermlotssurroundingdowntown)allowsforhasslefreeparkingfordowntownresidentsand employees.IfadoptedonNRS,therewouldbenoincentiveforpassholderstoparkonNRSratherthan inthelongtermlots,andnonpassholderscouldn'tparkthere(withoutaparkingticket).Residents wouldbegivenapass(or2+passes)toparkontheirownstreet(orperhaps12neighboringstreets)for apricemuchlowerthan$45/mo(possiblyfree).AsimilarprogramhasbeenworkinginAmherstfor manyyears. Advantages Protectsomeneighborhoodsfromhavingnoparkingavailable Createauniformsystemforparkingthatencouragespassholderstoparknearertodowntown thanonNRS. Drawbacks NRScanlegitimatelyactasoverflowparkingforbusydaysandnightsinNorthampton's downtown;selectiveenforcementormanagementmayberequired Costtothecityforenforcement,installingpropernotice(signage),andadministration Residentsmaynotlikelosingtrulyfreeparkingontheirstreet,eveniftheyaregivenfreeor cheappasses MaynotfreeupasmuchparkingonNRSasexpected Smalleritemshavebeenomittedfromthispackagenotbecausetheyarenotvaluablebutbecausethey canbeaddedorsubtractedoncethisconversationmovesfromtheconceptualleveltothemore specific.ThisisthebeginningofwhatIhopeisanopen,thorough,andinformedprocessthatwillresult intheadoptionofparkingreformstoaccomplishmanyofthegoalswefindvaluable.