High Occupancy Parking Meters Plan Advances

Despite objections from some city residents, the City Council unanimously voted Monday night to advance a high occupancy parking meter rate plan to a third and final reading on Oct. 22 that calls for drivers to pay $1.50 per hour on the highest demand downtown streets.

City Councilor Ken Smith tried to reverse the omnibus parking plan that City Councilors approved by a 5-4 vote in August by proposing an amendment to roll back all parking rates to $1 per hour. But Mayor Eric Spear said the motion was out of order after City Attorney Robert Sullivan said it deviated too much from the resolution published in the council agenda.

Smith said the rate increase is a tax on the residents and the tourists who come to the city. By raising it to a $1.50, Smith said the city will have the highest rates in New England, including Boston, which charges $1.25 per hour. He said the city's new parking rate would rival those charged in New York City's Manhattan.

“It takes the visitors and residents away from downtown,” Smith said.

Smith argued that retaurant staff who walk out of an establishment at 2 a.m. with a couple of hundred dollars in tips in their pockets don’t want to walk to the parking garage because they don’t feel safe.

Increased signage to tell people where they have to pay $1.50 per hour versus $1 per hour won't help because Smith said people don't read signs.

“There is so much confusion already with parking that I think having tiered rates will just add to that confusion,” Smith said.

Smith, who co-owns Maine-ly New Hampshire on Deer Street with his wife, Deborah, said retailers will be hurt by the higher parking meter rate increase. More and more people are saying to him at his store, “I’m not coming here anymore.”

Portsmouth resident Ron Zolla told the council the omnibus parking rule changes will economically hurt the downtown. He encouraged the council to leave the two-limit on the core downtown spaces and not increase the rate from $1 to $1.50 per hour.

If approved on Oct. 22, drivers would pay $1.50 per hour on Daniel Street, from Chapel Street to Market Square; Bow Street, from Chapel Street to Market Street; Congress Street, from Market Square to Chestnut Street; Pleasant Street, from Court Street to Market Square; and Market Street, from the Moffatt-Ladd House to Market Square.

As part of the omnibus plan, councilors voted to charge 75 cents per hour in the High/Hanover Parking Garage and allow city residents to have free parking in the parking garage on Sunday's.

Some city residents said they are willing to give the new higher parking meter rate a try

Barbara DeStefano said she agreed the $1.50 should be charged in core areas and it should work well with three-hour time limit.

Susan Denenberg said she favored incentivized parking rates. “People who want to be right at the doorstep will have to pay a little bit more.”

City Councilor Brad Lown said he supports the parking meter rate increase on the condition that if it doesn't work, the council can always revisit it.

“This is a trial and we are going to see if these parade or horribles come true,” Lown said.

Lown also pointed out that while so many people are focused on the spaces that will go up to $1.50 per hour, three quarters of the city's downtown spaces will actually cost less at $1 per hour. He said 623 spaces will be $1 an hour while 159 parking spaces would cost $1.50 an hour.

“If councilor Smith turns out to be right I will be the first person to admit and I will change it.” Lown said.

Assistant Mayor Robert Lister said it is important to keep Portsmouth a welcoming place and he has always been opposed to Sunday parking and he said he would not approve a $1.50 increase because of the tough economy.

Lister said the city should consider raising the rates for the fines and his motion to give a first reading to a rule change on Oct. 22 that would increase parking fines from $10 to $15 was unanimously approved by the council.

Councilor Nancy Novelline Clayburgh said she, too, would vote in favor of the increase in parking rates because it will encourage people to use the garage.

“Once people realize what the deal is, they will use that parking garage,” she said. ‘If this doesn’t work, we can change it in six months to a year.”