Dear Ward 4 Constituent,
This Wednesday 12/1 at 6pm at City Hall the City Council's Public Safety Committee will again be meeting to discuss the Mayor's proposed paid parking plan.
Details of that plan can be found here:
http://cityofnewburyport.com/Planning/ParkingProgram.html
and a recent article in the Daily News is here:
http://www.newburyportnews.com/local/x104130284/ Officials-have-concerns-on- parking-plan
The ordinances associated with the parking plan will most likely be coming before the Council in the next few weeks.
Please let me know whether you are in favor of paid parking or not. Also let me know if you have questions or concerns.
Thank you,
Ed Cameron
Ward 4 Councillor
In favor.
-------------------------------------------------------------
I have a problem with paid parking in lots and free on-street parking. I think it will lead to people driving their cars around blocks (more than they do already) looking for a free spot to open up. We want to encourage less driving rather than more!
I'd prefer to see parking treated consistently on the street or in a lot, but if we're charging for all parking, the rate could be less than fifty cents an hour.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Please represent that residents should have some preference such as free or reduced rate with a residence sticker.
Thank you,
-------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Ed,
Yes, I'm in favor of paid parking with the proviso that residents and employees can buy an annual parking sticker (Residents should pay a higher fee than employees. In fact, it would be a good idea for employers to pay the fee for their employees.)
-------------------------------------------------------------
I support it, but remain confused about where stickered residents may park.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Hi, Ed. I am absolutely, positively against paid parking. It is by far the worst idea that has been proposed in the 30 years that I have lived in Newburyport.
I think that the Mayor and City Council should do their jobs and actually represent the citizens and taxpayers instead of constantly coming up with schemes to raise taxes and fees .
People can not afford to keep paying and paying!
Try cutting some of the waste, instead.
Remember when we discussed the 3 million of our taxpayer dollars that you all paid for 8 small apartments worth far less than 1/3 of that figure? Thank You
-------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Ed,
Paid parking stinks, but it won't smell as bad if residents received stickers to park for free.
Also I wouldn't mind riding a shuttle into town if fact that would be better. Make Newburyport more of a walking city.
thanks for all you do,
##### says all the $$ the city gets from parking should go into local transportation & parking outside the city.
I agree.
Stay strong,
-------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Ed,
I am in favor of paid parking but would also include the streets, but I know I am a significant minority. Portsmouth charges 75 cents per hour, street or garage. The only thing you may have neglected is permits for volunteers. Many people from Newbury, West Newbury... volunteer at Firehouse, archive room at Library or perhaps Custom House regularly. I think they should be able to get some special rate, especially since they perform a great service for no money.
-------------------------------------------------------------
I am against paid parking. In this economy, let us help our businesses by letting people park for free. If the ordinance does pass, let the parking cost $.05/hour!
-------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Ed,
I'm in accord with the passes for the lots, and think it's good that residents business people and seniors can purchase an annual pass. Not clear about whether there will be parking meters on the street. What if lots are full? Would all the public lots be available, and where would we go if lots are full?
Thanks.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Ed,
I am in favor of paid parking. It may encourage residents in our rather tight community to consider some healthier alternatives to driving, such as walking or bicycling, and will generate revenue the city needs.
The debate over this has run on long enough. Paid parking is inevitable, and like Health Care Reform, a program can't be fixed until there really is one.
Thanks for the communication and I hope the response helps.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Ed,
I fully support paid parking in the downtown, but the proposed program is going in the wrong direction. Studies from other cities show that much of the traffic congestion on downtown streets is represented by drivers circling the block looking for an open parking space. Free on-street parking encourages this behavior, regardless of whether the time limit is 15 minutes or 2 hours. Charging for off-street parking and leaving on-street parking free will further drive people to look for on-street spaces, further congest the downtown streets, and use the City's available parking spaces inefficiently.
It is generally accepted that parking should be managed with the objective of an 85% occupancy rate. This is done by calibrating parking rates so that the most desirable spaces (on-street, closest to shops) cost more per hour. Here's an example of how this approach could be applied in Newburyport, as long as the NRA lots are available:
NRA East Lot: free, 12-hour limit
Library Lot: free, 2-hour limit
Other public lots: 50 cents/hour
On-street: 75 cents/hour
-------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Ed,
I would like you to vote in favor of paid parking with discount to residents. The cost is modest, it won't have an impact on visitors and it will bring in much needed revenue. As for the residents saying it will be a heartship, I don't agree. Most residents know where they can find free parking on the street. Really! We need to break through these barriers and get ourselves into the 21st century.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Ed, thank you for including me on this mailing list.
It's just one man's opinion but I strongly wish the city does not approve paid parking.
Not based on logic, just intuition, I cannot help but feel it will be yet one more significant measure detracting form "quality of life" in our small but beautiful city.
Remember the bike path on Hign Street? That was rather, well, not such a good idea.
Paid parking, it makes sense in a lot of municipalities. However, Newburyport is steadily losing much of it's "charm." Parking meters, the concept of building a parking garage and the like feel so user un-friendly to me. Just my opinion.
Regardless, let me assure you, you and city officials of every stripe do have my gratitude for serving, and putting in the time and energy for those the city
Merry Christmas
-------------------------------------------------------------
Hey Ed,
Thanks for taking the pulse. My own feeling on parking downtown is this: I think we *need* convenient parking downtown; that it’s gotten to the point where it’s choking business downtown. I had to go downtown the other week to pick up a couple of things – a random rainy weekday afternoon in mid-November, and there were a handful of cars continually circling the parking lot. How do we think this is *not* turning off out-of-towners from coming to Newburyport for a lunch date or a quick shopping stop? And this was not summer or holiday traffic.
That said, it’s about capacity to me, not revenue generation. This plan does nothing for parking capacity, it’s simply a naked revenue grab. And it will further alienate out-of-town visitors. Ultimately, (under this plan) I’d expect all the Newburyport residents to purchase the annual parking passes, so the inconvenience will be passed solely to visitors of our downtown.
Worse, by the plan’s own forecast, we’ll wind up with a system where half of the additional revenue will be eaten up by the additional headcount and operating expenses to maintain it. And, in my experience with forecasts like these, that’s an optimistic view.
So, I think this is short-sighted and bone-headed, and does nothing to alleviate the parking shortcomings we do have. For the record, I *am* in favor of a parking garage, even if that parking garage usage is fee-based, because we’ve then added value and convenience, which this plan does not.
Let me know if you feel differently. I’d be curious. Thanks Ed.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Ed,
I am strongly in favor of a uniform paid parking system within the city. The Mayor's plan gives many options to residents, and will provide much needed revenue to the City....the bulk of which will come from visitors. We have a big problem in NBPT, in that we are a highly regarded tourist destination, that fails to capitalize on that fact! Yet....our services and public works are called upon to maintain our beautiful community. Hence, our tax dollars in effect, subsidize the benefits received by visitors. Pretty stupid if you ask me!
-------------------------------------------------------------
Hey Ed,
A few points/questions:
* I still think it's a mistake not to charge parking for the 1000+ off street parking spaces. The city will lose money. The streets will be clogged with people cruising for free spaces. Yada, yada......
* I was happy to see the average occupancy expectancy was 28%. I thought I'd read 70% in teh paper, which is outrageous.
* I'm a little unclear on how the all day parking works in some lots (Tracey, NRA Lots). Does everyone pay one all-day flat fee upfront? Or do you have the option of paying hourly or daily?
Thanks Ed. Wish I could attend.
-------------------------------------------------------------
I am in favor of paid parking, if the funds can go towards new sidewalks throughout the city.
Thanks
-------------------------------------------------------------
I am in favor of this proposal.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Ed,
Yes I am in favor of paid parking.
Thanks, I appreciate the emails you send as a City Councilor to keep us informed and asking for our opinion.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Ed,
I am not in favor of paid parking. The net revenue estimates I've seen so far could be easily achieved through spending cuts in other areas of the city. For example, there is no need for the existence of the Molin Upper Elementary School within the Nock Middle School. I am really surprised that a new principal was hired for the Molin this year with absolutely no discussion about the necessity of the position.
In my view, paid parking is the equivalent of a tax. I simply can't support tax increases when there is still work to be done on the spending side of the ledger.
Thanks for soliciting my input.
No comments:
Post a Comment