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City to roll out parking meters and ParkMobile app; officials promise church grace periods and public education
Summary
Martins Ferry officials said they will begin implementing parking meters and a ParkMobile app in coming months, with a promised grace period for Sunday services and public education (signs, social media, outreach) before enforcement begins.
Martins Ferry officials told council Dec. 3 they plan to roll out parking meters and a ParkMobile payment system in the coming months and will conduct public education before enforcement begins.
The police chief and staff updated council on the parking program, which will include on-street meter enforcement and off-street permit parking. Councilmember Rogers raised concerns about enforcement during Sunday church services and asked whether a grace period could be provided. The chief said the department will not "mess with" churches and that they had already discussed possible exemptions.
City staff demonstrated that the ParkMobile app dashboard will let police temporarily modify parking rules for events (for example, to waive payment during a festival or on holidays), post street closure notices and communicate changes to users. Officials said there will be signs, posts to the city Facebook page and news outreach, and suggested a public forum for residents to learn about the changes.
Madam President and staff said implementation will take a couple of months to complete, that a grace period will accompany initial enforcement, and that officials welcome complaints and feedback during rollout.
Why it matters: The change affects downtown parking behavior and could influence foot traffic for local businesses; officials indicated they will attempt to balance enforcement with community needs through targeted exemptions and public outreach.
