Decreases made to proposed Parking rates Residential rates lessen $30 and $3 metered rates shift back to $2

By Michelle Gladden

Decreases to the proposed Asbury Park parking guidelines were introduced during Monday night’s City Council Workshop Meeting, Councilman Joe Woerner said.

They include reducing proposed residential permit rates by $30 and lessening the proposed $3 metered parking rates to $2, Woerner said.

The residential permit rates will now run from $90 per year for the first permit, $120 pr year for the second permit, $150 per year for the third permit, and $180 per year for the fourth permit.

Other changes include allowing employee parking from 9 a.m. to 12 a.m. at the Transportation Center parking lot and along Memorial Drive.

“The thinking behind this is that there are employees [like retail and restaurant servers] whose work schedule does not fit the 9 to 5 model,” Woerner said. “If they are working a double shift for example, we don’t want them to have to leave work to move their cars.”

The downtown employee parking zones will remain the same, with parking permitted during the day along Lake Avenue , a small section of Bond Street between Bangs and Summerfield avenues, and along Grand between Lake and Cookman avenues, Woerner said.

Free parking at the Bangs Avenue garage during the evening weekend hours are eliminated in exchange for residential parking. The $75 per month rate will be offered to residents in downtown area who do not have an off street parking option.

Asbury Park City Manager Michael Capabianco said the changes are based on demand pricing and a goal of maintaining an 85 percent occupancy rate.

Changes to the Parking Permit guidelines will be introduced as an ordinance during Wednesday’s City Council Regular meeting. A final hearing to allow members of the public to ask questions and make comments prior to a final vote will be held on January 13.

If adopted, the 2016 Parking Permits will go on sale starting January 15 and take effect Feb. 1.

For information on the parking changes, click here .

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Dec 22, 2015