| Author | Message | ||
     mayhewdrive Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 398 Registered: 5-2001 |
Somebody recently posted on the nj.com message boards that South Orange is now charging $5 per day to park in the Shop Rite lot. Is this true? Parking there for free was always one of the best kept secrets. Since I no longer commute to NY, I suppose it's good that someone is tapping into that potential revenue. Although, I'm sure that angered many commuters who are used to getting something for nothing. I guess this doesn't bode well for any real progress on the market anytime soon, though. No? | ||
| fred block Citizen Username: Zachary2 Post Number: 1 Registered: 1-2003 |
That is true that the charge will be $5 per day. South Orange will need to have a person there to collect the cash, which must be exact. Interesting that it will be in cash. Who will keep an accounting of the receipts? The charge is much higher than the daily lots closer to the train station, which makes no sense and will likely keep this lot empty. The daily lots are $3.50 per day and the meter lots are $3 per day. It would have made more sense to charge the same as the meter spots. Instead, the amount received at this lot will obviously be more than before but not enough to justify the employment of another person at the lot to collect the fees. Also, it may force commuters to the Mountain Station because that lot is only $2 per day. If that happens, then there will be a signficant decrease in foot traffic to the local stores, which will result in more stores going out of business. Not a smart move. | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 629 Registered: 4-2002 |
Mayhewdrive: Commuters who had permits were upset that they had to pay while the shop-rite lot was available for free. So, yes it is true and there is a $5.00 a day charge to use the lot (collected by the Parking Authority). The developer supposedly made some revisions to the plans based on comments from Main Street and at the planning board hearings. I am hoping that they bring the changes along with a draft of a developer's agreement before the next trustee's meeting. | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 630 Registered: 4-2002 |
Fred: Once construction starts on New Market, these spots won't be available. It makes sense to try to have commuters find alternatives now. I thought there were very few spaces available at Mountain Station. Most storeowners claim the commuters run right to their cars and do not stop to shop. In fact some stores claim the enormous number of commuters hurts business more than it helps. I will ask how the accounting is done. If there is none, I will apply for the job of collecting the money. | ||
| fred block Citizen Username: Zachary2 Post Number: 2 Registered: 1-2003 |
If they were upset, then charge the daily rate of $3 per day and not $5 per day. Instead, you will have a town employee at the lot for maybe 10 cars a day. | ||
| Dave Ross Supporter Username: Dave Post Number: 5255 Registered: 5-2001  |
It's easier to start high and reduce than the other way around, isn't it? | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 631 Registered: 4-2002 |
The employee works for the parking authority. If you think the rate should be lower or have other suggestions, it would be great if you could make it to the next trustee meeting (10/15 at 7:30P.M.) or to a parking authority meeting (I don't know the date of their next meeting) or email Mark Hartwyk, executive director of the parking authority (Mhartwyk@southorange.org). | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 632 Registered: 4-2002 |
Fred: Just out of curiousity, do you live in South Orange? Dave: Much easier. | ||
| dgm Citizen Username: Dgm Post Number: 142 Registered: 5-2001 |
Hit 'em hard. Once the station work is done, that lot is going to be plenty close to the station and it is certainly no further than the lot behind the rescue squad. | ||
| paddy Citizen Username: Paddy Post Number: 131 Registered: 5-2001 |
I'd love to hear what alternatives there are. Regardless of what the parking authority will tell you, the wait for a resident parking spot is probably around 6 years; two years for the NJ Transit lot, which is already too expensive. The daily spots in the NJ transit lot are gone by 6:45am. The metered parking around the library will no doubt be gone now, as the 60-80 cars that were parking in the ShopRite lot are forced to find alternatives. If you live west, there's no jitney. The Parking Authority is collecting this money? Does that mean the town is keeping the money too? If so I think it's in incredibly bad taste of the town to take advantage of this situation. And I for one am someone who often stopped in the Gaslight, used the dry cleaners and the liquor store en route back to my car. Everyone who parked there, parked away from the business so it would not hurt their businesses. | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 634 Registered: 4-2002 |
Paddy: S. Orange probably has more spaces for rail commuters than any town in Essex County except for Newark. The metered parking by the library is one of the alternatives. I wonder how many of the cars in the Shop-Rite lot are owned by S. Orange Residents. The parking authority keeps the money. They are a seperate entity and have their own budget. The price might be wrong, but charging for commuter spaces is fair since many have been paying for permits. I did not say that all commuters did not shop, I said the opinion of most storeowners was that MOST commuters did not shop. Warnings were given last year and repeated earlier this year asking commuters not to park in that lot. Was it "in bad taste" for commuters to take advantage of the situation? No, it was just smart. The free parking for some is over. We are trying to obtain more grants and seek other options to fund jitneys for the west side of town. | ||
| fred block Citizen Username: Zachary2 Post Number: 3 Registered: 1-2003 |
I do not have a problem with South Orange charging for the lot. In fact, I thought it was surprising when I saw that the lot was plowed when it snowed last winter. What I find incredible is the notion of charging more for the lot that is further way than the transit lot. Also, I agree that the businesses near the lot were not affected. The bank and restaurant always had at least 10 spots open. The liquor store also had spots open. The people always parked their cars as far away as possible from the businesses. With regard to the monthly commuters, I would say that if given an option of purchasing a monthly pass for $55 per month, most of the commuters in the lot would pay for it in order to no longer worry about parking in this distant dark lot that floods when it rains. Why not charge these commuters $55 per month for a sticker until the redevelopment takes place onsite? It is a real hassle to use meters with 12 quarters on a daily basis. And what nerve of the Parking Authority taking down people's license plates in the lot or requiring exact change. If the attendant has change why not make it available to the public? I thought these people were to provide services to the citizens. | ||
| mrosner Citizen Username: Mrosner Post Number: 635 Registered: 4-2002 |
Fred: We did not want to issue monthly permits for a temporary situation. The wait for the NJ transit lot has been less than two years. I would hope that everyone who has been using the shop-rite lot put their name on the list. My guess is that many did not. I will pass your comments on to the Parking Authority. Again, do you live in the village? Not that it makes a difference, but I am curious. | ||
| fred block Citizen Username: Zachary2 Post Number: 4 Registered: 1-2003 |
I appreciate passing along my comments to the Parking Authority. I do not agree with you regarding the wait list. I know many of the commuters who are still on the waiting list after one year and have not moved much on the list. I do not agree with you concerning the monthly temporary sticker. It would be more efficient to issue a sticker each month instead of every day. It would also save money by not having an attendant present every day. The attendant could be there just for the first week of the month to collect the monthly fees. Also, I would propose that the lot be open only for monthly drivers. This way South Orange would have additional fees collected well in advance and also avoid any potential mess with daily collections of cash. Obviously, the pass would be different than the one issued for the transit lot. | ||
| mayhewdrive Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 401 Registered: 5-2001 |
Now maybe we'll also need to have someone collect parking fees from the scofflaws at the School.  | ||
| woodstock Citizen Username: Woodstock Post Number: 372 Registered: 9-2002  |
Fred, The money saved would be to the parking authority, not to the town. And only if the attendant was not already a PA employee. And only if there was no need for someone to check stickers (you say it should only be open to those with monthly permits). Given that this is a short term measure, does it make sense to get new stickers printed and processed just for this lot? And what would a permit do to alleviate the issue of it being a "distant dark lot that floods when it rains"? Or are you saying that the PA shouldn't charge to park there because of those factors? Waiting For The Electrician, Or Someone Like Him | ||
| Mergele Citizen Username: Mergele Post Number: 19 Registered: 7-2003 |
hmmmm... I cleared the list for the NJ Transit lot at the station in about 8 months. I haven't checked my spot on the list for resident parking in a while, but from talking to neighbors that list had been running just under 3 years. Of course when I tell family on the left coast about this whole list scenario, they love to remind me that their property taxes are $2,500/year, and they don't have to shovel in the winter. "Cats climb because being ruler of all you survey sucks when all you survey is ankles." -- Unknown | ||
| fred block Citizen Username: Zachary2 Post Number: 5 Registered: 1-2003 |
There will be a need to check either daily or monthly stickers in the lot. The last I heard, the Parking Authority is part of the town and any money saved would benefit the town. You are right that it is a short term measure. Although no one knows when the redevelopment will take place. However, there is a need to issue daily passes which requires someone to print the information so there is no added costs for printing monthly stickers. With regard to the distant dark lot comment, I was merely stating that there was no justification to charge more for this lot than the Transit Lot. I have no problem paying for the use of this lot I just believe it should be consistent with the other lots in town. By the way, I noticed that there were half as many cars this morning than yesterday in the lot. As I speculate, many drivers will no longer use this lot beginning on Monday and the town will collect very little in fees due to the charge of $5 per day. | ||
| Brett Citizen Username: Bmalibashksa Post Number: 216 Registered: 7-2003 |
I think the 5.00 is reasonable. If they make it competitive with the other lots then more people will park there. Once development starts this lot is going to close and the parking authority will be instantly pressured to create new parking lots. It’s almost as if the 5.00 is a deterrent, use this lot in an emergency but don’t count on it to be here. | ||
| lseltzer Citizen Username: Lseltzer Post Number: 1725 Registered: 5-2001 |
Do the daily spots fill up, and do they do so relatively early? If so, there's a need for other lots and they should charge whatever they can get. |
