Northfield committee weighs ParkMobile and targeted parking policies for downtown

Members of the Northfield Select Board Economic Development Subcommittee discussed downtown parking policy options after the tax stabilization conversation, focusing on whether to pilot ParkMobile and how to gather better data before imposing new rules.

One member noted the potential revenue and data benefits of a paid program, saying, "Montpelier brought in $98,000 last year in parking fees." Members discussed options ranging from a pilot block using ParkMobile (low capital cost) to phasing in signage and selective paid zones. Several suggested research and a town-wide discussion by the full Select Board before adopting any enforcement or fee schedule.

The committee emphasized that a parking solution should be flexible: it could be limited to a small percent of spaces, include short-duration zones (e.g., 15-minute), and provide granular data to assess impacts before adding enforcement. Members noted ParkMobile requires little up-front capital and can be piloted without permanent meters.

The committee agreed not to decide parking policy at the subcommittee level and recommended that the full Select Board consider a research brief and pilot options.

Next steps: compile data on downtown parking demand and present ParkMobile pilot options to the Select Board for consideration.