Hudson officials set parking hours, fees and permit rules as T2 pay-by-phone rollout advances

Hudson officials agreed May 27 to new enforcement hours, rates and permit rules as the city moves forward with a multi‑phase rollout of a T2 pay‑by‑phone parking system.

The committee decided parking enforcement will run Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; short‑term municipal lots will charge 75¢ per hour with a two‑hour maximum, and the committee set a long‑term lot rate at $10 per day and $50 per week. The group also approved a $500 annual residential/business municipal‑lot permit (non‑prorated), a 75% cap on permits per lot, and an accessibility parking program that waives the two‑hour limit for qualifying applicants (a $25 application fee and annual renewal were set for the accessibility permit).

Why it matters: Hudson is expanding paid parking from meters into new zones and adding mobile and kiosk payment options. The choices affect residents, downtown businesses, hotel operators and visitors; they also lay groundwork for future enforcement technology and a larger conversation about developers’ responsibility for parking and “payment in lieu” funds.

Decisions and next steps - Enforcement hours: the committee agreed on Monday–Saturday, 8 a.m.–6 p.m., and decided not to enforce paid parking on Sundays for now. "8 to 6," the group recorded as the enforcement window. - Short‑term pricing: "So we decided 75¢ per hour for the short term lots," the committee recorded. The existing two‑hour limit remains; committee members said any time beyond the two‑hour cap will incur a higher ("turnover") rate; the committee discussed a doubling model (to $1.50/hour) for overtime in municipal lots. - On‑street pricing: the committee discussed a higher on‑street short‑term rate for the first two hours (discussion recorded at $1 for some curb spaces) and distinct zone pricing for differing locations; the committee instructed staff to finalize signage and zone maps. - Long‑term lot pricing and penalties: the long‑term lot will be set at $10 per day and $50 per week. The committee agreed to raise the overstaying fine in that lot (current fine cited as $25) and instructed staff to set a new penalty level (discussion supported raising it to roughly a week’s worth of fees; staff will draft the exact ordinance language). - Permits and enforcement: a new "permit by plate" program will require proof of residency or business ownership; the committee set a $500 annual fee for those permits, asked staff to require permits to be tied to specific municipal lots, and agreed on a 75% cap of permit spots per lot. The committee directed that permits be non‑transferable and that unauthorized or fraudulent use would trigger fines and revocation of privileges. - Accessibility program: the committee agreed to a free parking waiver for qualifying disabilities with a $25 application fee and yearly renewal to prevent long‑term misuse while ensuring access for people with mobility impairments. Committee discussion favored accepting existing DMV placards or a doctor’s attestation as proof when administratively convenient. - Technology and procurement: the committee reviewed vendor quotes and authorized staff to take procurement steps. A quote for the Phase‑3 kiosk buildout was presented at $255,808.29; an LPR (license‑plate‑reader) unit compatible with the T2 components was estimated at about $53,000. Committee members asked staff to route procurement documents to the common council for formal approval and to return with a fixed budget and purchase order plan.

What was discussed (but left for staff or a future vote) - Sundays and holidays: police and the parking bureau noted enforcement capacity concerns for full Sunday enforcement; the committee left meters active on Sundays (so people can pay) but decided there would be no routine enforcement on Sundays until staffing and enforcement plans are resolved. Chief Franklin said, "I think it would behoove the City to consider enforcement on Sundays," but emphasized operational limits for officers. - Convenience/processing fees: the committee discussed card and mobile convenience fees that are added to credit‑card or text transactions; the group recorded that mobile payments will add small itemized fees (example figures discussed included an ~11¢ network fee plus a ~35¢ card fee) and asked staff to confirm exact amounts and how those will be shown on kiosks and receipts. The committee agreed the fees should appear in the transaction receipt and asked staff whether to show them on signage. - Permits for institutional or county employees: members raised misuse of city permits by non‑Hudson employees and hotel guests. The committee instructed staff to stop automatic free permits for outside entities unless explicitly approved and to draft a resolution for council consideration. - Payment‑in‑lieu / developer obligations: members urged the city to adopt a formal payment‑in‑lieu of parking policy so future developers contribute to a municipal parking fund; staff were asked to draft code language and options for a future meeting.

Quotable - On the short‑term rate: "So we decided 75¢ per hour for the short term lots." (Jennifer) - On Sunday enforcement tradeoffs: "I think it would behoove the City to consider enforcement on Sundays." (Chief Franklin) - On mobile/card convenience fees: "So you're paying, I think it's 11¢ to get it hooked up to the to the satellite, and then you're paying an additional 35¢ that is a credit card related fee." (Jennifer)

Background and logistics The T2 rollout is organized in phases. Committee materials and discussion recorded these phases: Phase 1 (municipal lots), Phase 2 (areas that currently have no meters, described as Lower and Upper Warren), Phase 3 (Warren Street between Third and Eighth) and a Phase 4 (side streets between Warren and Columbia and Warren and Union) that the committee deferred because kiosks for those streets are not yet budgeted. The committee directed staff to produce a fact sheet for a water‑bill insert, due June 16, and to prepare signage and kiosk artwork; the fact sheet circulation target was recorded as 2,005 mailed inserts.

Staff follow‑ups required - Route the Phase‑3 kiosk quote and procurement package to the common council for approval and, if approved, execute purchase agreements. - Confirm exact convenience/processing fees and how they will appear on kiosk screens and receipts; provide recommended language for signage and receipts. - Finalize permit application forms (permit‑by‑plate, accessibility waiver, fleet/validation) and the online submission workflow tied to license plates and lot assignments. - Produce the June 16 fact sheet and finalized sign artwork (vendor lead times were discussed as roughly two weeks for sign production once artwork is approved).

Ending The committee approved the key operational items needed to begin installations in the near term and directed staff to return to the council for formal procurement and code changes on permits, penalties and payment‑in‑lieu policy. Staff will present draft ordinance language and finalized cost/fee figures at a follow‑up meeting for Council consideration.