Ferndale OKs New Parking Rates, Enforcement Times
Changes expected to go into effect later this month.
Ferndale City Council approved new parking rates and enforcement times Monday night during their regular meeting.
The new rate will be $1 per hour for on-street parking, 75 cents an hour in most lots, 50 cents an hour in one discounted lot, and $1 per hour in all lots after 7 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Enforcement times will change to 9 a.m. until 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday (currently 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.).
Council also approved new rates for parking passes, including a new rate system for downtown employees based on lot location and a decreased rate ($75 for 6 months; $100 for a year) for residents who live downtown.
The new rates and enforcement times go into effect as soon as the multi-space metering system is fully installed - which is expected to be around Jan. 28. The city is currently working on signage and a plan to help spread the word.
Ferndale Mayor Dave Coulter emphasized the need for communication.
"I don't think we can stress enough that this is going to be an adjustment for people," he said.
The new tiered rate system encourages visitors to use on-street parking for quick trips and parking lots for longer-term shopping and dining, said Ferndale City Manager April Lynch.
Parking revenue will go into the auto parking fund, which could eventually be used for a parking deck, more surface lots, increased bike parking or other needs, she said.
Stay tuned to Ferndale Patch on Tuesday for more details on the changes.
Daniel Gonyea-Alexander
8:19 am on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
This is highly disappointing. Parking in Ferndale is already difficult enough having to scrounge quarters and I'm sure the new system will change that. However, the changing the operation hours feels like an underhanded way to fine bar goers who forget about the meters after a few cocktails.
Louie Pierce
8:38 am on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Agreed, disappointing.
Rita Ray
8:50 am on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
I think this is ridiculous! Parking is a pain as it is and NOW the city raises the rates. I don't go into Ferndale much now. It will be a LOT less now. And the city will probably lose a lot of bar hoppers.
Frank Castronova
9:08 am on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
I live one block from downtown and can't wait for even more obnoxious bar hoppers to park on my street to avoid the $1/hour rate on Thursday-Saturday nights, making much noise and otherwise behaving badly.
Seth Painter
9:10 am on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Ferndale is inadvertantly causing people to park in lots for employees, such as behind restaurants. Free parking for them, employees have to find meters. Here's the problem: the alley behind Woodward is so narrow that it is virtually impossible to tow these cars.
I hope business owners speak up on this issue soon.
Greg Pawlica
10:03 am on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Although I support the increase in the meter rates, I think they did a dis-service to (predominant) day-time businesses by moving the enforcement time back to 9 am. They should have shifted the parking times to 12 Noon to Midnight. That would encourage more day-time shopping activities and reduce the about of money day-time workers have to pay for parking. Let's be realistic here...adding a couple more hours to the night-time parking meters isn't going to impact the Ferndale nightlife...and it will bring in more revenue than adding time in the morning.
Siouxsan Miller
11:11 am on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Greg I agree with you. Royal Oak changed their hours from starting at 10 AM to 11AM then of course going late for the bar crowd. I do feel badly though for the residents around the area who will be impacted with people trying to park for free. We need to change that to resident only parking or something like that.
Frank Castronova
12:18 pm on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
There is resident-only parking on parts of West Troy and West Saratoga. For the most part it works. However, after enforcement ends for the night people can park for free. And it might not be free for long. There is a possibility that we will be charged for our parking permits, to which I am opposed. Nobody should have to pay to park on the street in front of his/her own home.
Linda Baker
2:10 pm on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
agreed Frank
Buddyb
7:18 pm on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Agreed with the Resident only parking, but it needs to be expanded. I spoke with my neighbor one block south of me on Breckinridge and his family deals with the same issues I have, waking up to Trash, Beer cans and my favorite things to pick up dumped cigarettes littering my lawn by the street. Not to mention that I better have one car parked on the street before 7PM on Friday or Saturday or I can kiss that goodbye and have to park a block down the dam street!! Maybe we can have Council members and the mayor police up the trash after a weekend and maybe..... they'd feel differently before they allowed the ruling?? A lot of great points especially Greg's! There was no need to lower the time except to jam employees working in Ferndale. Believe me if people have the money to go out for a night, they can shell out an extra buck or two for parking for crying out loud.