23.384 An Order to Appropriate $15,000 to Hire Stantec to Evaluate Parking Fee StructureCity of Northampton
Massachusetts
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In City Council October 5, 2023
Upon recommendation of Mayor Sciarra
23.384 An Order to Appropriate $15,000 to Hire Stantec to Evaluate Parking Fee Structure
Whereas, in early 2023 City Council adopted a modification to pricing of parking and management for the public parking spots in downtown; and
Whereas, these changes included an alteration of fees on Main Street and the side Streets in order to increase turnover of parking spaces on Main Street with a targeted goal of achieving
around 85% occupancy; and
Whereas, these changes also specified that the Mayor’s office would regularly evaluate the pricing to determine if it was achieving the goal of 85% occupancy; and
Whereas, the City implemented those new parking changes in April of 2023; and
Whereas, it has been six months since implementation and the Mayor’s office would like to have the first analysis of the effectiveness of these changes be performed by the same consultant
who recommended these and who can also evaluate how the new pricing structure has changed parking patterns and whether we should make any adjustments; and
Whereas, the City would further benefit from this outside consultant to create a tool so that the City can, on its own, conduct periodic evaluations of how the parking system is working
and whether adjustments are necessary.
Now, therefore, be it resolved that
the City Council appropriates $15,000 from the Parking Receipts Reserved Account (2312) for the purposes of hiring Stantec to conduct the first official evaluation of the new parking
management pricing system and provide us with a tool to use in the future.