Authority conditionally approves extended parking hours with $15 cap and signage requirement

The redevelopment authority on June 29 conditionally approved extended evening hours for a private operator at the Water Street lot, saying the vendor may charge up to $15 between 6 and 8 p.m. if the operator posts resident-parking signage by Friday and develops a validation or discount plan for local restaurants before the next meeting.

Lindsay Samson, identifying herself as a law manager for Atlantic Gav and representing operator Joe Riley, told the authority the operator wants later hours because "last week we left at 6:00 ... there were 50 cars in the lot," and staff are often left to clean trash the following morning. Samson said the later hours would help manage crowds and keep the lots tidier.

Board members raised concerns about how the discount or validation system would work, whether restaurants could practically validate patrons, and whether restroom access and trash receptacles were adequate after hours. Charlie said he supported a conditional approval and praised the operator for cleaning the lots, while others urged that contract terms requiring resident signage and a validation plan be enforced before the extension went into effect.

Operations manager Mark Commons told the board the lease and RFP allow modifications by mutual agreement and suggested a conditional approval that would require the posted signs and a written validation plan. The motion, amended to require signs by Friday, July 3, was seconded by Mari and approved by the board.

The authority directed staff to ensure signage that states "residents with a valid sticker park for free" is posted and to collect a written validation/discount plan from the vendor and local businesses ahead of the next meeting so the board can review the operational details.