Fayetteville to consider converting public lots to paid parking on Dickson
Fayetteville Director of Operations Gary Dumas plans to propose an initiative that would convert all public parking lots on Dickson, including the Walton Arts Center lot, to paid parking lots the Northwest Arkansas Times reported Sunday. Dumas has been meeting with private lot owners trying to secure a contract, and plans to submit the proposal to the city council, and if passed, all public and private lots on Dickson would require a $2-3 an hour fee, and violators of the proposed parking plan would pay between a $40 and $50 ticket.
The funds collected from the paid parking and ticket revenue would create a parking history for Fayetteville, which would eventually make Fayetteville eligible for bonds to potentially pay for a downtown parking deck.
Many business owners on Dickson Street expressed concern that paid parking could create some serious challenges to an area in which several restaurants and retail-type establishments have struggled to survive.
Paid parking is a reality in many cities around the country, and as Fayetteville continues to grow, it may become inevitable. Still, business owners in the area are concerned that the hassle of paid parking and fear of expensive tickets could drive their customers away from the downtown area.
Dumas hopes to propose the contract to the City Council in late January / early February.
So, Fayetteville, what do you think about this initiative? Obviously, Dickson St. needs parking in a bad way, and as developers continue to add residential properties in the downtown area, parking will become at an even larger premium. On the other hand, if paid parking deters customers from shopping and dining downtown, we’ll lose a lot of local businesses that are extremely important to our local economy long before a parking solution like a parking deck will ever get built.
Several local alderman are regular readers to the Flyer. Tell them what you think, Fayetteville.
[More at NWA News]
Comments
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By ts on January 6th, 2009
$2 or $3 an hour is kind of ridiculous.
By Mk on January 6th, 2009
Agreed. To drive to a spot near my neighborhood for breakfast or dinner and pay $2 an hour is crazy. I’ll park at a reasonably priced meter and walk down. Remember, this is our community, not Disneyland. It may feel good to milk out-of-towners and tourists, but you’ll be putting the hurt on residents who support our community.
Consider free or reasonably priced parking most of the time, and make the money for your parking deck by raising the fees during special events like BBBBBBBQ and wal-mart shareholder festivals.
By Reg on January 6th, 2009
I’m not sure we need to worry about this now… Our new mayor fired Dumas
http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/72768/
By the Steve on January 6th, 2009
Thanks Reg. Saw that. This might indeed be moot.
By Total Bastard on January 6th, 2009
Make it simple. $1.00 per hr after 5:00 pm, $.50 per hour during the day.
Hell, at an average stay of 3 hrs, and 300 cars per night, thats over $300,000 per year.
You can pay the interest on a decent note for that to get a parking garage built. In the hopes that it can spur more development, the garage’s parking can pay for the principal on the note.
Throw in parking tickets, and you have a revenue generator that won’t piss everybody off too much.
3 bucks an hour for parking is stupid. Those private lot owners are the ones wanting that kind of bank. Perhaps if they’re cut off at the knees, it will incentivize them to propose a nice new infill project that Lioneld et al can reject.
By sofresh-n-sogay on January 6th, 2009
economy down, I’m down; pay parking, and I’m out.
The new guard will of course approve of the Dickson gentrification to drive out the few old holdouts that give the street any character. Pop yo’ collars fratters, prance you stupid spoiled whores, and get smug you old bags in couture mink, it’s your street now. The good old Dickson will be moving to the dilapidated squats on College Ave.
By polecat on January 7th, 2009
What ever happens, it needs to get the tow trucks out of downtown. That needs to be a big part of the discussion. A dollar an hour seems more reasonable but that is less than the private lots charge. I don’t think they will agree without it being a level playing field. Should be interesting. Very complicated so don’t expect anything from this administration any time soon. Maybe after the Art center moves.
By George on January 7th, 2009
Mr the Steve – Do you know how this “parking history” to potentially make Fay eligible for bonds works? Is it based on revenue (fees & tickets) or vehicle counts? If it’s simply based off usage then we should keep it low…$1/hr or so. Maybe the gub’ment wants a revenue history to gauge the ability to repay/sustain.
$3/hr parking would blow. I think that would really hurt the Dickson businesses. Can we yuppify Dickson St just a little bit more? It’s getting borderline lame down there. Crown Pub and Smoke & Barrel are nice additions. I still dig Brewski’s. Other than that….go to Block St.
By the Steve on January 7th, 2009
I don’t know how the bond issue works. Anyone else?
By Total Bastard on January 7th, 2009
I’d assume it would work like just about any other business plan, except the city is going to act as its own bank.
Anybody getting a loan to build anything has to demonstrate how they plan to pay the note back, and the way you do that is by basing it on past revenues or projecting them based on similar examples elsewhere.
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