NORTHAMPTON — Parking in metered spots downtown and pay-by-plate parking kiosks will no longer be free beginning Aug. 3.
Since the spring, there has been a parking holiday for meters and kiosks throughout Northampton.
With efforts by the city to stimulate the downtown economy, the opening of outdoor and some indoor restaurant dining, restricted retail, and the availability of other services, the parking system “play an important management role in the turnover of available parking spots,” according to a statement from the mayor’s office.
“We’re trying to start to ensure there is proper turnover in parking,” Mayor David Narkewicz said in an interview. “We’ve noticed there has been a lot of long-term parking on Main Street, if you will, because it’s free and there’s no enforcement.”
The city also has added additional 15-minute parking spaces to facilitate quick stops to stores or restaurants, he said.
Though parking meters have not been accepting money for months, the city has been enforcing parking restrictions, such as handicap parking.
Revenue from parking fees is projected to be $1.39 million in the current fiscal year “which represents a 25% reduction of the revenues annually generated by parking fees,” Narkewicz wrote in his recent budget proposal. The parking system shut down mid-March, and initial estimates show that in fiscal year 2020, which ended June 30, parking meters took in about $560,000 less than the previous year, according to Narkewicz.
The city takes in money from parking tickets, too. In fiscal year 2019, for example, parking tickets amounted to $819,462, according to city documents.
Greta Jochem can be reached at gjochem@gazettenet.com.