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Politics & Government

Summit Provides Free Shopper Parking Downtown

Hill City policy has been in place for decade.

Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., a cat and mouse game takes place between the white lines of Westfield's parking lots.  Shoppers scurry from restaurants and storefronts in order to escape the yellow-thirty-two dollar parking tickets doled out by the Westfield Police.  Those who wish not to pay, park a half-mile away at the library or take the risk of leaving their car in a lot where businesses threaten to tow non-patrons.  

Six miles away in Summit, a town not unlike Westfield, the game does not exist.  In  an effort to make shopping a more pleasurable experience, Summit has two lots in which shoppers are given two hours of free parking year round.  The free parking policy was implemented in 2000, under then Mayor Walter Long who said, "To attract shoppers, I think you do need free parking."

Besides the free lot parking, Summit also offers free fifteen minute street meters for those patrons who are making a quick pick-up at a deli or coffee shop. The free 10 minute meters Westfield had were recently removed and replaced by a computerized meter box as part of the South Avenue streetscape project.

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A downside of the two-hour parking is that in Long's opinion, "it still requires the same amount of parking enforcement," as there was with paid parking. 

While Summit has been promoting the free parking for shoppers concept for a number of years, there has been discussion of changing it. In recent months, Summit Mayor Jordan Glatt and other officials in the Hill City have talked about restoring costs on the shopper lots. Prior to the free lots, the shopper lots had staffers working in booths taking money as drivers exited the lots.

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Parking enforcement, which includes officers, clerical assistants, and supervisors, cost the town of Westfield $205,486 in 2007.  This money would then have to come from the gross amount of money which will have been earned from parking meters, ($1,035,000 in 2007) which will in fact be lowered due to the two-hours of free parking given to shoppers.

Westfield gets more money from meters than ticket enforcement.  The primary reason for parking enforcement is to encourage turnover. 

"You need enforcement to create turnover which is best for downtown businesses so that they're customers have convenient parking," said Councilman Mark Ciarrocca, who developed much of the town's parking policy in his previous role as chairman of the Council's public safety, transportation and parking committee.

One of the ways in which Summit has garnered more money from parking has been to create more parking spaces.  

"One of the best things we did was build a 500 car garage," said Long of the commuter parking deck at the intersection of Broad Street and Summit Avenue which was built among some controversy during the 1990s.

Summit also has a parking deck on Springfield Avenue in the city's downtown. This deck is aimed at shoppers and employees of downtown businesses. Shoppers also park in the free lots along DeForest Avenue. The commuter and employee lots cost money for parkers.

The option of a parking deck was first proposed by former mayor Greg McDermott over five years ago. The deck proposal, which still generates controversy when mentioned, was voted down in a contentious public referendum in 2004. The long term financial implications of constructing the deck were cited as the main reason by deck opponents.

Ciarrocca noted, "We are always looking for opportunities to increase parking capacity," however, "with this economic environment municipalities have trouble creating funds for such projects."

It should be noted that there is some free parking on the outskirts of the town's center as well other lots where free parking becomes available on certain days for certain hours. 

 

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