Darien To Increase Parking Fees At Metro-North Lots

DARIEN, CT — For the first time since 2018, Darien is increasing parking fees at its Metro-North lots.

The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday unanimously voted for the increases.

Town Administrator Kate Buch has said the increases are needed in order to meet obligations in maintaining the lots and generate more revenue to support anticipated projects for the town's railroad stations in the coming years.

The increases will be implemented on Jan. 1, 2024, but need approval now since the permit renewal period begins in October and the town needs to notify residents.

Annual commuter permits will increase from $400 per year, including tax, to $450 plus tax.
Buch said revenues previously decreased because the sales tax was included.

The daily parking fee will increase from $4 per day to $5 per day, or $80 per month (sales tax included).

Daily parking is available in designated parking spaces at the commuter parking lots in the Darien and Noroton Heights train stations.

For daily parkers who choose to pay on a monthly basis, the fee will increase from $65 per month to $80 per month, which still represents a cost savings over paying each day.

The annual merchant permit fee will also go up from $100 to $125.

Overall, the increases are expected to bring in an additional $207,000 in revenue for the town, Buch said.

Additionally, the starting time at which daily pay parkers may park in the permit lots will change from 9:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.

The last peak train leaves Noroton Heights at 8:57 a.m. The change allows permit holders who commute daily sufficient preference for those spaces.

Also included in the fee increases is a language change on where residential permit holders for the Tilley Lot can park.

Currently, the town's parking ordinance allows them to park in the lower and mid-level lots, but this has resulted in customers of nearby businesses having difficulty finding convenient parking during business hours.

Tilley Lot residential permit holders will now be allowed to park in the lower lot on weekends and evenings, but they will be required to park in the mid-level lot from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.