2012-04-17 TPC Minutes 3
. � Transportation and Parking Commissioncity
of Northampton
r4 y 210 Main Street, Room 18,
tF E" A Northampton, MA 01060
(413) 587-1210
www.northamptonma._gov/tpc
MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
City Council Chambers, Puchalski Municipal Building
4:02 p.m. —6:14 p.m.
Members Present: Eugene Tacy, Deborah Bruce, Leslie Stein, James Lowenthal, Gary
Hartwell, Owen Freeman-Daniels; Ned Huntley, Russell Sienkiewicz, Paul Sustick.
Members Absent: Wayne Feiden
Others Present: Laura Hanson, DPW
Meeting called to order at 4:02 p.m. by Vice Chair Freeman-Daniels. Quorum met.
1. Public Comment
a. Parking Permits —Judith Fine, City Council (ret.)
• Concerned the TPC will be raising the monthly parking permits in outer areas
from $30 to $60; addressed the contention that employers and employees were
previously taking the best spaces or going around town feeding meters (less
turnover); summarized that if so, customers then have few places to park and
consequently will stop coming to town, and she, as a business person, would
have fewer customers; argued also that employees will be unable to afford the
monthly spots if the cost is doubled and will resume taking up the preferred
spots downtown; suggested as an alternative, that the "first hour free" in the
parking garage be dropped, saying the income received there would then
alleviate the need to boost the monthly fees.
b. Danny A. Cuzo, Executive Director, Northampton Business Improvement District
• Argued against the fee being set at $60 and to establish a more graduated fee of
$45; warned that people will park far away from downtown as free parking
takes them, thus changing the neighborhoods; contended that if 300 spaces-used
falls to 200, it becomes a zero-sum gain in City revenue; cited San Diego
parking sensor program as a successful option for the future; suggested ticketing
is inhospitable and that the garage is ticket-free; concluded the need is to get
people to park in the garage; cited Burlington and Ithica as examples where
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ending "first hour free" results in loss of parking revenue; summarized by
pleading any raise in parking rates not be done w/a heavy hand; and that
removing the"first hour free"has implications;
MOTION, Mr. Freeman-Daniels, to Re-open Public Comment; Seconded, Mr. Huntley,
Motion Carried.
c. Christine Newman, Parishioner, St. Valentine's Church, King St.
• Expressed concern over a no-parking area in front of the church, particularly as
a year ago when 3 parishioners received tickets on Ash Wednesday, and then
again this recent Ash Wednesday when the Mayor's office revoked the
agreement arranged with Mr. Letendre (pertaining to lax enforcement at 4 pm
Saturday and 11 am Sunday), said that it's difficult to park for church services,
and that she'd like for the sign to be moved and not discourage people from
going to church; said she was told the Mayor would look into it, and was
informed the TPC would take up the No-Parking sign as an issue at the April
meeting;
Discussion
• Ms. Stein suggested the sign could be changed from reading "any time" to
something that would accommodate church-goers;
• [Clergyman] expressed gratitude for any consideration for extra parking spaces
near the church;
• Chair Tacy asked Ms. Hanson to investigate the parking situation at the church;
suggestion issue be put on next agenda;
• Chief Sienkiewicz said the matter is being worked on;
• Mr. Lowenthal said the $60 fee had been voted on in the affirmative and that he
would like not to re-open the vote;
• Mr. Freeman-Daniels disagreed, saying the vote was taken on an incorrect
memo;
MOTION, Mr. Freeman-Daniels, to Close Public Comment; Seconded, Ms. Stein, Motion
Carried.
2. Approval of Minutes of March 20, 2011
• Ms. Bruce objected to excessive length of Minutes and that they were too
detailed;
• the Clerk acknowledged email sent by Ms. Midura citing the correct date of
Minutes to be March 20' and not the 2l't;
• Chair Tacy corrected spelling of Jim Laurila's name.
Discussion
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• Mr. Freeman-Daniels said that while he agreed the Minutes were too detailed,
he also feels other meetings minutes are not detailed enough;
MOTION, Motion, Mr. Freeman-Daniels, to Approve Minutes; Seconded, Ms. Stein;
Abstained, Chief Sienkiewicz; Motion Carried.
3. Ordinance: Amend §312-36 Parking Meter Locations and Regulations (Referred by
City Council of April 5, 2012) —Mayor David J. Narkewicz
• Noted the Commission voted to recommend this Ordinance to the City Council;
said the City Council voted to delay it for two months and send it back for
further discussion;
• Broken down to two comparisons: the top one with the assumption of one who
lives downtown (10-hr days/6 days a week) who wants their car in a lot;
• Addressed discount inequity of 10-hour meters and long-term lots that weren't
raised (due to "oversight") when other area meters' rates were;
• Current changes make it cheaper to park at meters, thus making downtown
parking more, and not less, problematic than before;
• Declared support for raising long-term rates from $30 to $60 a month;
Discussion
• Mr. Sustick said the Mayor's position on raising fees is out of touch with Main
St.; said the business community seeking to encourage people to park
downtown and that the numbers haven't been crunched enough; said he believes
the numbers will indicate revenue has gone up significantly for the City over the
last 5 years because businesses have been receiving more business (due to
relaxed parking rates) and have been paying more in sales taxes; said the "first
hour free"in the garage has become "an institution" and will be hard to take
away; alluded to the politic controversy of Mr. Letendre's departure; said he
finds the Mayors numbers "meaningless" and that the Mayor should weigh in
only during the final stage of the legislative process;
• Mr. Freeman-Daniels said he sees a"tremendous disparity" between the 10-
hour meters and the long-term ones; raised the question of the admire cost in
distributing two sets of passes, in that raising the rates on 10-hour still carries
with it the convenience, whereas long-term rate increases may incur financial
losses (The Mayor indicated this as something to look at.);
• Mayor noted the 10-hour meters to be on the periphery of downtown (King St.,
Pleasant St., streets off of State St., etc.); indicated it to be a fine line between
encouraging downtown parking and alleviating warehousing; summarized a
long term goal of establishing a coherent policy with respect to long-term
passes;
• Ms. Stein expressed appreciation for the business community, and that it is
"healthy" they're weighing in on parking as they are; concurred with Mr.
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Sustick re: having smaller groups to look at the issues (The Mayor alerted her to
language in an ordinance re: an ad hoc parking subcommittee);
• Mr. Freeman-Daniels read into the record"there shall be . . . a subcommittee"
from an ordinance specific to the issue; noted the City Council voted to
postpone this ordinance until June 7'; noted the subcommittee would be
comprised of 3 TPC members and 4 members of the public;
• Mr. Lowenthal proposed that in lieu of a subcommittee and parking director, the
issue is before the TPC (Mr. Freeman-Daniels agreed);
MOTION, Mr. Freeman-Daniels, to Table to later in the Meeting; Seconded, Ms. Bruce,
Motion Carried.
Discussion
• Mr. Freeman-Daniels and Chair Tacy clarified the process for nominees to go
through the Mayor's Office; initiate process now;
• Ms. Bruce agreed a subcommittee needs to be set up;
• Mr. Lowenthal argued that the TPC should have discussion on the complexity
of parking, effects on the community, and the variety of stakeholders and their
needs; said he wanted non-car drivers to be afforded same incentive to come
downtown as car drivers;
• Mr. Freeman-Daniels and Mr. Sustick emphasized maintaining tourism (out-of-
towners with cars) as paramount for revenue;
MOTION, Mr. Freeman-Daniels, to Reconstitute the Parking (Sub)committee; Seconded,
Ms. Stein, Motion Carried.
MOTION, Mr. Freeman-Daniels, to Table; Seconded, Mr. Lowenthal, Motion Carried.
4. Union Street Traffic Calming; DPW Preliminary Analysis —Laura Hanson, DPW
• §312-17 School Zone Ordinance Criteria; traffic volume;
• Ms. Hanson summarized the results of the traffic calming study: Union St. sees
about 1,000 vehicles per 24-hr day, which is due to it being used as a cut-
through from Bridge St. to Market St.; and the greatest concern is that the speed
limit is 25 mph on much of Union St., (except in the school zone), and that cars
are going 6-8 mph over the speed limit in the school zone; meanwhile Cherry
St. (parallel) has prima faci speed limit of 30 mph; did receive a commitment
from Mr. Van Epps to help subsidize two speed humps on Union St.; requested
that TPC discuss private persons interested in paying for speed humps; said she
is also seeking feedback from the Commission;
Discussion
• Ms. Stein wondered as to the efficacy of placing speed humps in an 85-
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percentile area;
• Consensus concludes there is speeding going on around the school;
• Chair Tacy suggested this matter be put on agenda for next meeting;
• Mr. Lowenthal agreed that speeding goes on Union St.; favors traffic calming;
• Mr. Freeman-Daniels concurred;private financing; grants; priorities;
• Mr. Huntley said he's concerned with affect on Cherry St.;
MOTION, Mr. Lowenthal, to Have Ms. Hanson Proceed with Temporary Traffic
Humps; Seconded, Mr. Hartwell; Motion Carried.
5. Florence Parkin
MOTION, Mr. Freeman-Daniels, to Postpone; Seconded, Mr. Hartwell; Motion Carried.
6. Restructuring of Parking Division
Deemed Covered in Item 3.
7. Discussion for Residents to Receive Convex Mirrors
MOTION, Mr. Freeman-Daniels, to Table Indefinitely; Seconded, Mr. Lowenthal;
Motion Carried.
8. Roadway Audit —Smith College
• Multiple members acknowledging being in attendance;
• Mr. Hartwell provided context of establishing a connection of the Rail Trail to
the Smith campus; speed data; expects report sooner than June V;
9. DPW Updates
• Construction projects; very excited; out to bid; competitive market; replacing
pavements, sidewalks;
• Ms. Hanson met with DOT as crosswalks deplorable on Main St., thermoplastic
is disintegrating; other communities not suffering same problem;
• Pedestrian Safety Project;
10. New Business
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• Mr. Huntley —roundabout at Look Park;
• Beads; crosswalk material;
MOTION, Mr. Freeman-Daniels, to Adjourn; Seconded, Chief Sienkiewicz; Motion
Carried —6.14 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Gregory P. Ammons
Johnson & Hill Staffing
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