Business & Tech

Ferndale Encourages 'Buy Local' with 30-Minute Free Quick Zone Parking

The new zones are designed to make it easier than ever to visit our local merchants and support buying local this holiday season.

Beginning on Wednesday, Dec. 4, select parking spaces in the downtown district will be designated as "30-minute free" quick zones to help local store merchants whose customers need a short time (30 minutes or less) to, for example, grocery shop, pick up goods or pick up take-out food orders.

The newly marked parking spaces will be introduced as a pilot program, according to a news release. Launching as a pilot will allow staff to confirm that the program was set up successfully for the business community and Ferndale’s downtown shopper,; as well as to ensure the approach to enforcement keeps these quick-parking spaces available for those who need it.

Pilot parking spaces will be enforced from 4-9 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturdays Parking enforcement hours are meant to accommodate the quick parking needs of the “after work” shopper during the downtown’s busiest weekday and weekend hours.

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Parking remains free on Sundays.

“The half-hour of free parking will enable anyone making a quick trip downtown to use a designated ‘Quick Zone’ parking space for free,” said Chief Innovation Officer Joseph Gacioch. While this may cause a small reduction in revenues, it will be far more welcoming to our downtown retail patrons and stays true to our goal of maintaining parking availability by supporting short-term parking use at convenient, off-street spaces.”

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The program was designed in the spirit of buying local.

Mayor Dave Coulter urges all Ferndale residents and visitors who want to come downtown for a quick shopping trip to support the city's local economy during the upcoming holiday season.

"Ferndale is a great place to shop and an even better place to open or expand a business. The new 30-Minutes Free zones will make it easier than ever to visit our local merchants and support buying local this holiday season," Coulter said. “I believe this new parking feature will give visitors one more reason to make downtown Ferndale their first destination for shopping, dining and enjoying the season."

For a more detailed map, go here.



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