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Council hears proposal for a senior parking permit to ease parking transitions as meters are removed
Summary
Columbia Borough police and staff presented a draft senior parking permit to ease the transition from failing coin meters to ParkMobile and to provide residents aged 65–70 a one-hour free parking allowance. Council asked staff to prepare an ordinance for advertisement and possible adoption in April.
Chief Romer presented a draft senior parking-permit program to Columbia Borough Council on March 27 to address concerns about eliminating coin-operated meters and residents’ ability to use ParkMobile.
The program proposed issuing a hanging permit or sticker to borough residents aged 70 or older (Council suggested changing the age to 65), verified by borough staff. The permit would grant one hour of free parking at metered locations and in borough lots; after the first hour, drivers would be required to pay via ParkMobile or the physical meter if available. “What this would afford our seniors is 1 hour of free parking,” the chief said, adding that enforcement procedures similar to handicap parking are planned.
Why it matters: staff said some seniors have difficulty using mobile payment apps; council members expressed interest in protecting older residents’ access to downtown businesses and the public market while the borough phases out aging meters. Council asked that the item be drafted as an ordinance so it can be enforced; the borough solicitor and manager noted an ordinance must be advertised prior to adoption.
Next steps and timing: managers and staff said they could draft an ordinance and ask council to authorize advertisement at the April 8 meeting, which would allow adoption as early as April 22 (the borough noted this requires a seven-day advertisement period for a non-zoning ordinance). Staff also discussed administering one permit per household and using the borough’s codes database to track participants so the borough can report take-up annually.
Ending: Council supported moving the idea forward; staff will draft ordinance language, incorporate council direction on age and one-vehicle-per-household limits, and return with advertisement authorization for a future meeting.
