Park’n hike
Clark Street Garage rates to increase
Rates at the parking meters throughout downtown Warren might not be on the rise but the same can’t be said for all other parking-related fees in the City of Warren.
“In the original proposal to raise the on street rate to $1, the lot rate would have been lowered to $.75 per hour,” Police Chief Brandon Deppen said.
“Currently, it is less per hour to park on the street than in the Midtown Parking lot,” he added. “The on-street spaces should be viewed as premium spaces allowing customers closer access to the store or business that they want to visit.”
“The premium space should cost more per hour to encourage the faster turnover of the space, reducing long-term parking on the street.”
Council though ultimately disagreed – both keeping the street rate at $.50 per hour and the rates in the Midtown Lot will at remain $1 per hour with the first half hour free.
While those rates remain the same, the rate for the hourly spaces in the Clark Street Parking Garage was increased from $.50 to $1 per hour.
“The spaces in the garage are used consistently throughout the day,” Deppen said.
The cost to rent a space in the garage on a monthly basis is also increasing – $5 to both the rate for residents and non-residents. That brings the total monthly to $30 for residents and $35 for non-residents.
“The cost for a resident to park in the garage during the work week would increase from $1.25 per day to $1.50 per day,” Deppen said, noting the non-resident fee would rise from $1.50 per day to $1.75.
Administration also previously recommended adding additional Fourth Ave. and Crescent Park street permit spaces similar to the south side of the 400 block of Pennsylvania Avenue.
The spaces will be created but Deppen noted that the “ordinance change to include the new areas has not been provided to council for consideration at this time.”
“It is expected to come before them in January.”