Parking plan: St. John's looking at changes to meters and pay options

St. John's city council will have its first public look at a new parking strategy Wednesday.

Coun. Debbie Hanlon says the new strategy is an attempt to secure revenue from parking and improve the overall parking management system.

"Our current system is losing money due to theft and vandalism, in addition to which we must consider how we implement our permit parking program," Hanlon said in a press release Tuesday.

The report, which has both short- and long-term recommendations, will be presented at Wednesday's regular committee-of-the-whole meeting. Among the recommendations in the strategy:

• Introduction of a pay-by-phone option;
• An updateof parking meter hardware and enforcement;
• A variable pricing model for meter and permit parking;
• Communications plan to inform the public.

In the press release, thecity said implementation of the new strategy is expected to take five years, with some of the recommendations requiring public consultation. The city will also update policies and bylaws to support the proposals, including:

• Using new parking meters and technology to move toward a cashless parking system;
• Examining the residential and commercial parking system and pricing;
• Creating a "parklette" program that allows businesses to rent the parking spots in front of their properties to use as on-street patios and gardens, etc.

There are 57 recommendations in all, as well as a proposed timeline for implementation. The committee of the whole meets Jan. 31 at 9 a.m. on the fourth floor of city hall. The strategy will then go to a city council meeting for a vote.