Village Manager, Council Disagree on Parking Plan

Councilman Paul Aronsohn thought they had a deal. After decades of parking issues plaguing the village and patience and input from the business community, the in early January 2011 to change the parking ordinance. Meters on-street would remain 50 cents per hour, lots rates would be cut in half, Saturdays would be enforced and a parking pass system would be introduced.

But less than two months later, that agreement was apparently upended by Village Manager Ken Gabbert, who instead reported to the council he'd like to keep some lots 50 cents per hour, as they are revenue generators for the village and the parking utility lost $286,000 in 2010.

"Taking away that level of revenue would be significant," Gabbert said, referring to the commuter lots. He also proposed free Saturday lot parking to benefit the restaurants.

Aronsohn reported being "quite surprised" when he saw that again up for discussion after a deal had already been struck. "I don't understand why we are moving backwards" he pointedly said to Gabbert, adding that the chamber of commerce was content with the agreed-on proposal. He also took objection to commuter lot changes, telling Gabbert that commuters were hit hardest, so to penalize them again would be bad policy.

"I don't get it. It just seems wrong," he said of the new management-based proposal.

Councilwoman Bernadette Walsh wondered if phasing the plan may be the best course of action. For a moment, it appeared the parking plan's implementation had been frozen as quickly as it had been hatched, but Mayor Keith Killion resisted.

"By the time we phase it in, we could be phased out," he said.

The council again affirmed that a decision would be made–as repeatedly promised by Killion–and it will closely resemble the agreement struck in early January.

Aronsohn suggested the resident parking pass be reduced from Gabbert's proposed $1300 to $650, a way to recoup some of the revenue commuters are spending at the similarly-priced private lots like Brogan Caddilac.

He also rebuffed Gabbert's claims that such a drastic reduction would have a negative economic impact on the village, saying "that's your assumption" and remarking that the council did not agree that charge. The second proposed pass–for employees and commuters–would be near the $650 as well, Aronsohn said; the previous number cited was $900.

Walsh expressed concern that there should be some way to guarantee a minimal walk. "If I'm being charged $650 a year, I don't want to have to walk two blocks," she said. Aronsohn exclaimed that there would be more spaces and Killion remarked that not everything will be perfect, but the plan is appropriate.

Ultimately, the council again agreed to lower all lots at 25 cents, keep on-street parking at 50 cents, enforce from the hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., enforce Saturdays and not make changes to the Park & Ride. Resident Boyd Loving told the council that his math leads him to believe $750 is a more appropriate price for the parking pass, not $650, which the council will look into.

The ordinance must still be officially voted on and will go into effect after voting and signs are replaced around the village.

"We're not going to solve it [the parking problems] all in one month or one year," Killion said. "But we have to at least take a shot at it."