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Council committee recommends $20 all-day town-center event parking fee; businesses, churches ask for more notice
Summary
Parking committee proposed a $20 all-day fee for town-center special events, beginning at 8 a.m., with vendors and monthly parkers exempted; council members and business representatives asked for more outreach and to examine worker impacts, and the item was moved to discussion for the next meeting.
The borough’s parking committee recommended instituting a $20 all-day parking fee for special events in the town center, a policy intended to standardize visitor parking during heavily attended events. The proposed schedule starts at 8 a.m. on event days and runs until the event ends; the policy would not apply to the weekly open air market, and vendors would receive one free parking pass. Monthly garage account holders may park during their regular paid hours with no additional fee but would be charged if they park outside that window.
The committee framed the fee as a response to full garages for large events and inconsistent visitor behavior that reduced revenue capture under the prior system. "This does not include the open air market, which is not considered a standard special event and is exempt from this requirement because that is...every weekend," the committee summarized. The draft policy also specifies that revenue from special-event parking be retained by the borough’s parking services department and not shared (with the earlier practice of sharing revenue with partners called out in the meeting).
Several councilors and business representatives raised concerns about the effect of an all-day fee on employees who work at downtown restaurants and shops and may not have monthly garage passes. Christopher Curtin, a business representative who attended committee meetings and emailed council, expressed concern about workers who do not work standard hours. Council members asked staff to check with business owners and the BID — and asked for better advance notice for churches (the committee initially proposed two weeks; one councilor requested at least a month). Some council members urged proceeding while making clear that the policy can be amended after implementation; another council member asked that the item be put on the discussion agenda for the next meeting. The committee’s recommendation carried as a 3–0 committee vote and will be further discussed at the next council meeting.
