Parking changes considered in the borough

WEST CHESTER » Following more than two years of discussion, the borough recently announced a formal, preliminary plan to change the way parking is regulated.

Consultant Desman Design Management has prepared an 80-page packet detailing possible parking changes.

Discussed changes include, raising some on-street parking meter rates, borough-wide enforcement of permit parking in residential neighborhoods, establishing longer hours for metered parking on Saturdays and construction of a new parking garage.

The borough is asking for feedback, while holding 14 separate meetings this week, each specifically tailored to individual groups of stakeholders. Meetings are being held for residents, retailers, the chamber of commerce, the restaurant association, churches, students and Chester County government.

Borough Manager Michael Cotter told northeast area residents, at the first stakeholder meeting, Tuesday night, that nothing is set in stone and at this point the plan is a set of recommendations only.

“We want to explore as many possibilities as we can,” Cotter said.

Most of about 40 northeast residents at the meeting were hesitant to raise a hand in favor of instituting residential parking permitting in their neighborhoods.

While some said that permitting

was needed, others said the subject was complicated and they did not yet know all of the facts.

Several residents asked the borough for more guidance before they are asked to make a decision.

Some unregulated residential areas, such as the northeast, are impacted by warehousing of cars, sometimes for weeks at a time.

“The goal is that everybody should be able to park in the street on the block on which they live,” Bill Scott, borough council member, W1, and parking committee member, said after the meeting.

“There is no silver bullet,” Consultant David Taxman, of Desman said. “Not everyone is going to be 100 percent happy.”

Taxman suggested that residential permit parking only be established where there is a real need for it, or until there is a need.

Parking in the Central Business District is a hotbutton topic.

“The existing parking demand

analysis concluded that there is currently adequate parking available in the CBD,” reads the Desman report. “However, the system is operating near capacity during weekday mornings and afternoons.

“However, at all other time periods there is substantial parking capacity available to support demand.”

A controversial suggestion to raise the rates at some downtown meters to $2 per hour is designed to get motorists to park in the garages and surface lots.

Borough Council Member Denise Polk, W7, wants to curtail something she referred to as “looping traffic” by those seeking a coveted on-street parking space.

“One of the goals is to get people to utilize garages and reduce congestion on Gay Street – including driving around in front of restaurants,” Polk said.

Cotter said that visitors will circle the block several times to find a meter.

“It’s no more expensive to

park in a garage than on the street,” Cotter said. “People want convenience.”

A loose association of retailers, which grew from a small group of just four or five business owners who first met over breakfast, has released a statement.

The retail owners suggested reducing the price of garage parking from $1.50 per hour to $1 per hour. Some garages currently charge $1 per hour.

“Rationale: Currently, every major town near West Chester charges less than we do for parking,” reads the release.

The release noted that Kennett Square charges a quarter for 20 minutes and Ardmore levies a quarter fee for a half-hour. Media charges ranging from a quarter for 30 minutes to 15 minutes at a quarter.

West Chester charges a quarter for 10 minutes.

The retailer’s group suggested implementing graduated pricing, possibly like Ardmore does, with 10 free minutes.

Malcolm Johnstone, executive director of the Business Improvement District, agrees with some, but not all, of the suggestions made by the retailer’s group. He is opposed to raising meter rates.

“Surprisingly this is getting zero support in the downtown,” Johnstone said. “The feeling is that raising parking rates doesn’t position the downtown to be competitive with other areas and will have a negative impact on restaurants and retailers.”

Scott said that the borough currently has adequate downtown parking ... “but just enough for now.” He favors spreading out parked vehicles into the garages.

“Between the Chestnut Street Garage and the Bicentennial Garage, you’re close to any business downtown,” Scott said. “In Philadelphia you have to pay through the roof and have to walk plenty of blocks.

“Our garages are good facilities and should be used to the maximum.”

The plan considers both

“One of the goals is to get people to utilize garages and reduce congestion on Gay Street – including driving around in front of restaurants.” — Borough Council Member Denise Polk

short-range and long-term solutions. Cotter said he expects borough council to pull the trigger and vote on portions of the plan by December, with implementation of some noticeable changes by January.

The Desman study and Polk suggest incentivizing other modes of transportation, including walking, carpooling, use of public transportation and biking.

A new garage might eventually be constructed, possibly at Lot 10 on Chestnut Street. The weekly farmer’s market might be impacted.

The plan also suggests that the borough offer evening and weekend parking in the garages at $20 per month in the Bicentennial and New Street garages, and $25 per month in the Chestnut and Sharpless Street garages.

Monthly parking rates might also increase from $80 to $85 in the Chestnut Street Garage and $75 to $95 in the Bicentennial Garage.

The study suggests that Saturday hours for parking at meters be extended to 8 a.m. to midnight. This might add $173,000 to borough coffers.

Striping might be used in residential neighborhoods to keep parallel parkers closer to the curb and traffic lanes clear.

As part of long-term improvements, the borough might improve signage with consistent, larger and reflective signs. Real-time parking availability might also be posted at the Bicentennial and Chestnut Street garages.