STONE HARBOR – Stone Harbor Mayor Judith Davies-Dunhour reported that a survey by the local Chamber of Commerce showed “overwhelming opposition” to a proposal to maintain active parking meters in and around the business district after the traditional Oct.1 end of meter use.
The proposal which borough council has been discussing would have maintained the meters as active for most or even all of the off-season period on selected streets near the business district. Ironically the proposal was under consideration due to complaints raised by the local business owners wanting action to deter area employees from monopolizing prime parking spaces once the meters are off.
Council member Mantura Gallagher suggested that in the future council needs to be sure that groups requesting specific actions are themselves ready to support the actions they request.
Davies-Dunhour said that the proposed extension of meter use in the commercial area was the subject of the survey conducted by the Chamber of Commerce following recent discussion at governing body meetings.
The results of the survey showed strong opposition to the move which has effectively taken the measure off the table for this year.
The solution is focused on the merchants policing themselves and finding ways to effectively encourage employees to park in the free lots that are never more than two blocks from any part of the business district.
Council member Joan Kramar said, “This is not a parking problem, it’s a walking problem.”
Davies-Dunhour noted that the ongoing review of the borough’s master plan has as an area of focus on the issue of parking in-season and out-of-season. She said the Chamber of Commerce was one of the focus groups feeding into the planning process.
“We have had many good suggestions,” Davies-Dunhour said, including stricter enforcement of the three-hour limit that is already part of the borough’s code, along with better signage.
To discourage hotel guests from taking street parking, just for the convenience of having their vehicles close at hand, a ban on expanded areas for overnight parking may also be considered.
Faced with the potential reality of council action to extend the use of meters, Davies-Dunhour said some people became more flexible in their approaches to the problem.
For now, extending the meters is a last resort favored by few.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.
